


Spritely

by ImJaebabie



Category: SHINee
Genre: 26k+ words later..., 2min - Freeform, Complete, Fairy AU, Fairy!Taemin, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I mean this is me ofc there's angst, M for language and stuff, M/M, Posting chapters as I edit but it's not beta'd :), Romantic Fluff, SHINee Ensemble - Freeform, Slow Build, Slow Burn, idk what happened this started as just cuteness and now, my apologies to Jonghyun for the short stick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-10-28 01:20:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10820742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImJaebabie/pseuds/ImJaebabie
Summary: Of all the strange circumstances a person could find themselves in, having a fairy take up residence in his apartment was the last thing Minho ever expected.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had no intention of writing 26K+ words and a multi-chapter fic when I started this. But Taemin is a little fairy shit and we all know it.  
> Sorry in advance.

 

Minho stared at the problem sitting on his bed, frowning in concentration.

“I'm not a genie. You can't just send me away if you wish hard enough,” the problem huffed, seemingly reading his mind.

“Then can't you just leave on your own?” Minho asked, crossing his arms and glaring.

“Nope. Save a fairy’s life, that fairy sticks to you forever. I don't make the rules. Congratulations.”

The fairy, as it was, grinned mischievously up at his savior, its large, sparkling eyes giving him weird prickles. He shuddered viscerally, shaking his arms out and distancing himself from the creature a step.

“Don't do that,” he ordered, “don't do that creepy smile ever again, uh…you, um...well, I don't know your name. Do you have a name? Ah no, I don't have to name you do I?”

The smile disappeared. “Ew no, I'm not your pet. I just owe you my life.” The fairy jumped up from his cross-legged seat to stand on the bed, striking a sassy pose. His outfit was a sort of tunic and capris which seemed to consist of some mysterious shimmering material, making him look exceedingly mythical. “I have a name and it's Taemin. A perfect name. Don't you like it?” He seemed to bat his eyelashes.

Minho’s face contorted into a half confused, half appeasing look. “Uh, sure. It’s fine.”

The fairy, Taemin, raised one brow at him. “Fine?”

“Yeah it's a name, names are about the same all around.”

His dainty jaw dropped. “You...why would….so hurtful...” stuttering a bit, Taemin dropped back onto the bed, curling into a ball of iridescent pinks and greens over Minho's navy duvet and facing away. Minho thought he recalled some lore from somewhere, maybe an animated movie, about fairies being excessively dramatic. He sighed.

“Sorry, I didn't mean that. It's um, really cute?”

Taemin rolled over slowly, his expression distrusting, and looking a little like a pretty, forlorn child.

“You really think it's cute?”

Minho nodded, he hoped convincingly.

In a second the fairy was up and smiling sweetly, bouncing off the bed to cling onto Minho's shoulders. He stumbled backward a few steps, bumping into the set of drawers while the fantastical little creature blinked at him.

“Thank you, I like having my cuteness recognized,” it preened, face uncomfortably close, “especially by handsome guys who save my life. I like it here. I like you.” After searching Minho's face for a moment, Taemin planted a lightning quick peck on his chin, then fluttered away out of the bedroom. Not really, though, as the poor thing was still a wing short. If Minho had been any slower, he'd be short both wings and his life.  

Nevertheless, Minho was beginning to regret the salvific act.

Originally, when he'd seen the cat batting away at the shiny object, he'd just been so curious as to what the animal had found that glittered like that. When he’d gotten close enough to see the tiny, human-shaped creature, angrily trying to swat the cat away, he'd fallen flat on his ass in surprise. Minho had heard things like it might exist, even his friend Jinki claimed to have seen what he swore was a nymph, but the sight was still shocking.

The fairy was down a wing by the time he got there, trying valiantly to throw acorns at the feral beast, but failing pretty miserably. Minho hardly considered what consequences there might be when he scooped the tiny creature up seconds before the animal pounced. He'd fully intended to leave it in the preserve through which he'd taken his morning run; in fact, he'd done just that. The second surprise of the day was finding a larger version of the thing sitting on his doorstep that evening, calling him its savior and refusing to leave his apartment.

Sighing into his hands, Minho followed the fairy-named-Taemin, he reminded himself, out into the apartment proper. There he sat, lounging on the couch and cuddling a pillow, little bare feet tucked under the arm rest. If it wasn't such a confusing problem, Minho would think it was pretty adorable.

“I'm hungry.”

The man gave the fairy an incredulous glance. “So you won't leave, and now I have to care for you?”

Taemin widened his large eyes, pulling himself upright. “I almost _died_ today, you can't give me something to eat?”

“Fine...what do you eat? Flower petals? Dreams? Dew from the tip of a fern?”

“I like Lucky Charms.”

Minho narrowed his eyes. “You already went through my cabinet.”

“It's the marshmallows mostly. I like the colors.”

Rolling his eyes, Minho extracted the box from its shelf and found a clean bowl, opening the cereal to pour.

“WHOA STOP!”

Minho paused, startled as Taemin rushed to his side and pushed the box, scattering some pieces as he halted the flow with only a handful making it as far as the bowl.

“That's too much. You take some.”

Staring at the tiny amount, Minho scoffed. “There's like, fifteen pieces. You've only got...six marshmallows.”

Taemin pouted, lower lip sticking out obscenely. “Well what do you expect, sixty percent of the time I'm five inches tall. My stomach isn't that big!”

With one small hand he scooped some of the pieces back out and, before the other could prepare, shoved them messily into Minho's mouth, getting his fingers inside slightly. Coughing, Minho struggled to chew the dry cereal as the fairy retracted his hand and floated back to the couch carrying the bowl with his miniscule meal.

Finally swallowing the sugary bits, Minho shook his head and reached into his refrigerator to find something real to have for dinner. _At least_ , he thought, _feeding the thing won't be much of an issue, if it sticks around_. As he reheated some leftovers, Minho glanced toward the couch and puzzled, not seeing any fluff of auburn hair or glimmering color.

“Tae...min?” He called, wondering if the fairy had suddenly decided to leave.

Crossing the room, Minho discovered a once again tiny Taemin seated on the couch, with the almost-larger-than-him bowl between his skinny legs as he ate the cereal piece by piece. The tiny thing paused to stare up at him, a bite of blue moon making a funny lump in his cheek.

“It's rude to watch someone eat,” he piped, voice small like a bell.

Minho couldn't help smiling. “That's adorable.” Satisfied that he knew Taemin’s status, Minho returned to the kitchen to retrieve his own dinner, opting to lean on the counter as he ate and tried to consider what life might be like with a petulant, if vaguely precious, fairy in his home.

\--

A few weeks of having a fairy in his house proved interesting for Minho. Unlike the frustrations a normal roommate might produce, the ones Taemin created were puzzling. Like the time he got trapped in the fridge for a few cold hours before Minho returned from work and found him huddling next to the tofu, or when he got into a fight with the Roomba, or when he nearly flooded the house by playing with the washing machine. Then there was the time he got a call from his neighbor, the old woman worried to death that Minho was being robbed due to excessive noise next door. He’d rushed home to find the apartment in shambles, and Taemin chasing a fly around trying unsuccessfully to hit it with a spatula. But no matter how Minho reasoned with him, the troublesome fairy refused to leave, and would simply shrink and hide if Minho tried to oust him. Eventually, he just accepted it.

The fairy seemed to do whatever exactly he wanted, regardless of Minho’s opinion on the matter. Around the third week or so, he awoke one morning unable to move his arm. Blinking sleepily against the morning sun, Minho tried to rub his eyes and found only one hand available. Investigation into the cause of his paralysis revealed a full-size Taemin fast asleep at his side, death grip on his bicep.

Prying the fairy’s grip apart, Minho elbowed the boyish one off the bed, feeling little remorse at the resulting thump and squeak. As expected, Taemin popped up quickly, actual little sparks snapping in the air around him. Just another fun fairy feature, Minho figured.

“Hey! I was sleeping!” the fairy snapped, looking both hurt and offended.

Minho frowned. “So was I, but a paralyzed arm woke me up. Didn’t I give you a bed?” He had, in fact, ordered a hanging sort of cat bed(Taemin was insulted, at first, that he’d use a product meant for the very animal that had endangered his life) and attached it to the window in the living room. Being on the sixth floor, he wasn’t concerned about anyone looking in and wondering about a tiny boy with one wing.

Taemin looked sheepish, slowly climbing back onto the bed near Minho’s hip and folding his knees up to wrap his arms around them. “It’s too small…” he whined, avoiding eye contact.

“You’re small. It’s fine for a four inch fairy.”

“I’m five inches. And anyway, it’s cold there by the window.”

Minho yawned, stretching his arms back and shaking out the half-asleep one before folding them behind his head and regarding the fairy coolly. “So we’ll get a little blanket. Or like, a napkin.”

Nibbling on his lip, Taemin rocked almost anxiously.

“I don’t like the big room at night, it’s too big. The fridge makes weird noises. There’s too much light from the window, and I can hear the lady next door, and what if I fall off? You put it too high. And there’s not enough cushion, and it makes my wing fold weird, and m-”

“Okay, okay, well what do you want? I can’t believe my life these days…” Minho muttered the last part under his breath, not missing the the look Taemin gave him.

“Let me sleep here.”

“Fine, I’ll attach it to this window, then.”

Taemin scooted closer to him, tipping forward so his shins flattened against the mattress and he could delicately rest his cheek against the upper part of Minho’s hip. “No, I mean here,” he replied, purposefully making his large eyes as wide and pitiful as possible while patting the bed.

Minho let out a surprised laugh at the idea. “No way. If you’re small, I could smush you. If you’re big, you take up too much space. Also, I can’t afford to have to amputate my arm. And especially no, not when you’ve got a perfectly good bed of your own, and...and I don’t know why I have to cater to the...the every whim of...a petulant fairy kid all the time, and...hey, stop doing that!”

Carefully while Minho ranted, Taemin’s hand had crept up onto Minho’s stomach and started massaging little circles on his t-shirt, while the fairy never broke eye contact and started humming an entrancing little tune.

“What?” he asked, feigning innocence.

“Don’t you try that sneaky fairy magic on me, I saw how you tricked the mailman into thinking those shimmery clothes are normal, and into bringing you sugar cookies.”

“He doesn’t seem to mind it.”

“Well _I mind it_. None of your jedi mind tricks and sparkling eyes for me. Got it? Or I WILL kick you out.”

Taemin pouted heavily, then rolled off the bed once more. Minho didn’t hear the same thump as before, and soon realized it was because the fairy had shrunk again and was climbing up his nightstand to the open drawer. Swinging one leg over to sit astride the opening, Taemin kept up his pout.

“Fine,” his bell-like voice replied, “you still have to move my bed. But I think you’re mean, and I’m staying in here until you’re nice again.”  With that he slipped inside the drawer, presumably taking his pity party in among Minho’s socks.

Minho couldn’t help chuckling, pleased to have actually won an argument with the little thing. He stretched and got up, heading for the bathroom to shower. As he did so, he gently slid the drawer shut.

“ _HEY!”_ came the muffled shout from inside.

“Relax, I’ll let you out after I shower. Consider it a punishment for abusing my arm.”

Ignoring the string of protests, Minho slipped into the shower, whistling happily.

Less than a week later, Minho woke up and dragged himself wearily out of bed, bumping his hip on the little cat bed attached to his window. Cursing, he pressed a hand to the swiftly bruising flesh and paused to yell at his fae-roommate.

“Hey, little pixie jerk, if you’re not going to use this damn thing, at least get it out of my way.”

Warm inside the big bed, and having stolen the majority of Minho’s covers, Taemin stretched like a starfish only to snuggle deeper into the pillows. “M’not a pixie. Pixies can’t be big, and they have funny ears. Also they’re assholes.”

Minho grabbed some slacks from where they draped over his chair and fished for a clean button-down in his closet, still only half awake. “ _You’re_ an asshole.”

“No, I’m Taemin,” came the sleepy reply, half-sighed into the mattress.

Scoffing, Minho chucked a slipper at him.

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao the beginning is so fluffy and tame. For now. ;)  
> Appreciate the comments and kudo, buds. <3


	2. Chapter 2

Despite how Taemin disliked the analogy, Minho considered having him around much like having a pet. Then again, most pets didn’t change size at will, fill his bathtub with strawberry milk, or occasionally change the color of things by magic. On the days when he couldn’t find a tie that wasn’t some shade of orange, Minho figured a pet would be a lot lower maintenance. 

But despite it all, he kind of liked coming home to the random surprises, which were a stark contrast to the humdrum office job he’d never meant to stick with. By his competitive nature he’d quickly risen up the corporate ladder, and found himself one day managing a handful of subordinates and working late hours, leaving little time for social life, hobbies or dating. The cool car, nice western-styled apartment and big salary were all great but he frequently felt rather bored. That was, until he met the hapless fairy that adopted him. He knew that’s what it was, really, a reverse adoption.

Then came the night when he unexpectedly had a visitor, and realized he had no idea how to explain the situation that was Taemin. 

Jinki texted Minho that he was dropping by about eight seconds before ringing the doorbell. As Taemin danced over to open the door, Minho suddenly lunged, tackling him around the waist and slapping a hand over his mouth. 

“No!” he hissed, “You can’t answer it!” 

Pulling the fairy back through the bedroom into the bathroom, Minho grimaced as Taemin took the opportunity to stick his tongue out into the hand covering his mouth, trying to bite him. Minho pushed him away into the room and shut the door. 

“Why not!? I open the door for the mailman! And the guy who brings boxes! Did you order another sports shirt?” Taemin reached for the doorknob, but Minho blocked him.

“It’s a friend-”

“You have those?”

“-and...I’m going to ignore that. Just stay here and be quiet.”

“I wanna meet them!”

“ _ Stay here and be QUIET. _ ” Minho commanded, pointing a threatening finger.

Taemin huffed, crossing his thin arms. “Or what?”

Raising a brow, Minho replied, “Or no more Lucky Charms. Stay.”

Leaving Taemin to gasp affronted-ly, Minho hurried out to open the door. Jinki stared at him suspiciously when he finally answered.

“Hey, I texted you, what took so long?” He asked, peering past Minho into the apartment.

“What? Oh, uh, sorry I was...in the bathroom….”

That seemed to quell Jinki’s suspicion, and the man broke into his usual bright smile. “Oh, got it. So hey,” he started, brushing past Minho into the apartment and heading immediately to the couch, “I just wanted to go over these spreadsheets with you briefly before the meeting tomorrow morning. There’s been a couple changes in the data and since you’re presenting I figured you’d...wait, did you get a pet?”

Minho blinked at him, confused, before glancing around the apartment. He suddenly became painfully aware of all the evidence Taemin left around, that really did make it look like a small animal lived there. Little toys he acquired randomly, the small pillow in the corner he sometimes napped on, the bowl he used as a little pool that totally looked like a water dish…

“Uhhhhh yeeess....I did. Yep, I got...a cat.” He heard a muffled scoff from the other room.

Jinki laughed. “Finally got tired of living in here all alone, huh? What kind? Where is it?” He surveyed the apartment, searching for an animal he wouldn’t find. Minho began panicking slightly.

“What kind...um, well, he’s kind of a jerk, if that’s what you mean. Oh,  _ breed _ . No idea, he’s a stray. Actually I haven’t seen him in a while, I think he ran away. It’s fine though, I didn’t even really like him. I should really clean though, shouldn’t I? Haha,” as Minho rambled, Jinki raised an eyebrow and was just about to speak when a loud thump sounded from the other side of the apartment.

“What was that?” Jinki questioned, standing.

Minho shuffled between his friend and the door to his room, nerves growing. “Loud neighbors.”

“Sounded like it came from your room, dude.”

“They’re really loud-”

Another thump, accompanied by a high yelp. Jinki’s face adopted a blank, judging stare. “What the hell, Minho?”

Minho grinned tightly, annoyance at the fairy quickly growing. “I’m telling you, it’s just-”

Cutting him off, and ruining any ability to excuse the noise further, came a high-pitched cry clearly from inside the other room. 

“ _ THERE IS A SPIDER IN HERE.” _

Sighing, Minho covered his face with his hands as Jinki rushed past him. Seconds later he followed, accepting his fate, and joined Jinki in the doorway of the bathroom where he stood baffled at the scene before him. Sure enough, a very small spider held its ground on the tile floor while Taemin crouched in the tub, white-knuckled fingers gripping the lip as he peeked over to watch it. Minho’s shampoo and body wash bottles lay at various distances from the arachnid, clearly used as unsuccessful projectiles. 

“It’s waiting to attack me!” Taemin whined, looking pitiful. 

Minho rolled his eyes. “I can’t even begin to explain to you how little of a threat that is.” 

“Minho, who is this?” Jinki asked in confusion. 

“I’m Taemin!”

“My nephew.”

“I thought you said you don’t have siblings…”

Minho crouched down in front of the tub, ending the standoff by removing the spider with a piece of toilet paper. Taemin smiled at him from his porcelain fortress, gratitude glowing from his bright face. The man just sighed, and tried to silently communicate with an expression he hoped would convince the fairy to play along. 

“I’m close to his parents, so he’s  _ like _ my nephew. They passed away recently, though…I didn't tell you because...it's been tough uh, for us...since the accident...” Minho explained, standing to face Jinki again and trying to wear a believable face of mourning. 

From behind him, in a confused voice, Taemin started, “But my parents are-”

Glancing over his shoulder, Minho stared him down.

“-gone...I’m really sad about it.” The fairy adopted a woeful expression, and dramatically sank further into the tub. 

Jinki’s face softened as Minho turned back to him, the man looking concerned and sympathetic. He smiled gently at Minho, lifting a hand to his friend’s shoulder. 

“I’m sorry to hear that, it’s kind of you to let the kid stay with you.”

“I’m not a kid!” Taemin argued, popping up again only to sink back down at another look from Minho. “I mean, I’ll just be in here...uh, crying. Because of my parents. Mom, I miss you!” He wailed, then broke into an impressive sob, and Minho forcibly removed Jinki from the bathroom back out toward the front door.

“Something’s wrong with that boy…” Jinki noted, glancing behind them as Minho pushed him along.

“Absolutely. Uh, I’ll look at the spreadsheets and see you tomorrow.”

Jinki nodded slowly, stepping outside. “Yeah...you seem busy. I’ll uh, see you then.” 

Minho waved and closed the door, leaning his head against it and taking a deep breath.  _ Why _ hadn’t he realized this would be an issue sooner? 

Taemin was waiting for him, perched on the breakfast bar, when Minho shuffled wearily back into the apartment and flopped onto the couch. 

“So I’m your nephew now?”

“I guess.”

“Well that’s not very believable. I have parents. And I’m not a kid.” 

“More believable than ‘oh yeah, this is Taemin, he’s a fairy. Say hi!’ I promise no one would believe that. And I refuse to be institutionalized.” Closing his eyes, Minho relaxed into the couch’s softness, knowing he still had to look over the info Jinki brought before the next day. After a moment, he heard a gentle thump and the soft padding of Taemin’s feet as he walked, before feeling a weight in his lap and a warm body cuddled against him. Too weary to fight it, Minho draped an arm over the fairy, feeling the strange material of his odd clothes. 

“Sorry…” Taemin whispered a little apology, gripping the human’s shirt tightly in one fist.

Minho patted his back reassuringly. “It’s fine, but” he pinched the cloth of Taemin’s shirt, pulling on it, “we need to get you some other clothes. And I can’t believe he didn’t notice your wing.”

“I hid it.”

“You can do that?”

Taemin hmph-ed. “Of course. How do you think fairies have survived in this world? We have to blend in.”

“....blend in, right…” 

After a few moments of silence, in which Minho nearly fell asleep, Taemin spoke quietly again. “Don’t you have to look at those papers?” he questioned, his breath tickling Minho’s neck. 

Minho hummed, half awake, “Too tired. I’ll do it in the morning. Need sleep.”

“So, go to bed.”

“Can’t, I’m trapped by a sassy mythical creature.”

Taemin giggled, eliciting a tired smile from Minho. “Just carry me with you, dumb human.” 

With a sigh, Minho forced his eyes open and sat forward, linking his arms under the fairy’s hips and lifting as he stood. The thing was actually surprisingly light, but he wouldn’t miss an opportunity to poke fun at him.

“Oof,” Minho complained, “you’ve been eating too many marshmallows.” 

Taemin pinched him in response, earning a laugh from Minho as he walked them both into the other room. He dumped the fairy onto the bed and dropped tiredly next to him, humming happily into his pillow. “Good night,” he mumbled, feeling Taemin scoot close and snuggle into his side. 

“G’night,” came the soft reply. 

\--

“Ohhh my gosh, so pretty!”

“You look so cute!” 

Minho groaned quietly as the two clerks fawned over Taemin, who absolutely basked in their attention as he tried on the outfits they brought to him. The women practically melted when he entered the store, despite looking absurd in Minho’s too-long sweatpants and too-big hoodie. He’d made the mistake of taking the fairy shopping on a Saturday in the busy part of town, drawing a ridiculous amount of stares before even reaching the shop. It wasn’t like Minho didn’t know Taemin was pretty, he just didn’t spend that much time thinking about it. 

“You  _ must _ try this on too,” the one woman urged, carrying an armful of clothing into the fitting room. Taemin nodded excitedly and disappeared inside, while Minho couldn’t see why they didn’t just grab a few things and go. The jeans and shirts he’d tried earlier all seemed fine. 

Moments later, Taemin appeared again, posing for the women and enjoying their little shrieks of delight. 

Minho stared. What was so special about his clothes anyway? The white pants looked tight, and the aqua silk blouse hung off him weirdly, revealing half the boy’s collarbone while the sleeves slid down almost to his fingertips. The sandals seemed fitting, though. 

“What do you think?” Taemin asked, head tilted as he grinned at Minho, newly blonde hair falling into his eyes. It seemed to change whenever the fairy wanted it to, so that Minho was never sure what Taemin would look like on a given day.

“It looks nice,” he offered, unsure how much feedback he needed to give to get them out of the store sooner.

“Nice?”

Three pairs of eyes stared at Minho, wearing varying expressions of shock and disappointment: the clerks looked at him like he’d said Niagara Falls was unimpressive, while Taemin deflated. 

“Uh, very nice?”

Pouting, Taemin toyed with the sleeve hems, gaze cast toward the floor. “Well, if you’re going to buy it, I want you to like it…” he reasoned quietly, and Minho suddenly feared the dramatic little fairy might burst into tears.

Minho rose quickly and stepped over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder and tilting his chin up with the other. “I really mean it looks nice, honestly. Nice, and pretty. Cute. If you like these clothes, let’s get them, okay?” Over Taemin’s shoulder, he could see the two clerks wide-eyed and covering their mouths. 

A smile returned to Taemin’s lips, his usual glow returning with it. “Really? Then I like them. And I like the other ones too. Can I get them all?”

“Sure. Why don’t you change into some of those jeans and we can go get lunch.”

Nodding enthusiastically, Taemin hurried back into the fitting room. The clerks continued to stare at Minho, starry-eyed. He coughed uncomfortably.

“Would you, um, please package these things up for us?”

Snapping out of their trance, one hurried to gather the chosen pieces while the other hurried to the register. “Shall I include what he’s wearing now?” the one at the register asked.

Minho nodded, “Yes...um...hold on, let me ask which ones they are.” Crossing to the fitting room, Minho knocked on the door. “Taeminnie, which ones did you put on?”

In response he heard only frustrated sounding shuffling.

“Taemin?”

“...I’m stuck.”

“Okay, one second,” Minho smiled politely at the clerk, motioning to them that he’d be just a moment, then carefully slid into the fitting room. “What’s the problem?”

The fairy had changed into the jeans, ones with tasteful rips in them that sat low on his slim hips, but seemed to be stuck halfway trying to get out of the silky shirt. 

"Help,” he whined, although Minho couldn’t tell where the issue was. 

“How?”

Taemin mumbled something, too quietly for the other to hear.

“What?” Minho asked, stepping closer.

Taemin whispered, “It’s my wing…” and turned so Minho could see where the shirt had caught on the delicate appendage, it’s nearly translucent fold hindering the item’s removal despite how neatly it was flattened against Taemin’s back. Very carefully, Minho eased the fabric away until Taemin could remove the garment completely, then continued to stare at the place where the other wing ought to be. Instead, there was only a white scar stretching over a few inches of the otherwise perfect skin, which he noticed actually lightly glittered. How had he missed that?

“This must have hurt…” the human murmured, lightly touching the scar and feeling Taemin’s shoulder tense. 

The fairy turned quickly, hiding the spot from Minho and reaching over his shoulder to cover it with his hand. “It wasn’t  _ that _ bad,” he offered unconvincingly. 

Minho studied the lines of the downcast face in front of him, the shimmery skin and other-worldly eyes. What was it about this...person, that made Minho feel the need to protect him? Why had he been so ready to let him walk right in and demand his attention, insert himself into his life? Finding no answer to his questions in that moment, Minho reached for one of the shirts Taemin had picked out, a deep green boat-neck piece with little lace frills on the sleeves.

“Arms up,” he instructed.

A little confused, but trusting, Taemin lifted his arms so Minho could guide the shirt onto them and down over his head, making sure it didn’t snag on anything until he was comfortably inside and the hem came to rest on the waistband of his jeans. Then, instead of stepping back, Minho slipped his arms around Taemin’s waist and gathered him into them, holding him close.

The dainty fairy held still for a moment, before starting to shake a little. Minho realized Taemin was crying. 

“I’m glad I found you,” the taller man whispered, surprising himself by the tenderness in his voice. “I don’t like that you got hurt, and I promise not to let anything happen to you again, alright?”

Taemin nodded into Minho’s shirt, sniffling rather pitifully. After a few moments, he pushed back and looked up with glassy eyes, attempting a smile. 

“Better?” Minho asked.

“Hungry…”

Minho chuckled and ruffled the fairy’s hair affectionately. “Of course. Let’s go.”

They exited the fitting room to find the two shop clerks staring, faces flushed. The one quickly snapped out of it, and hit the other on the arm until she too recovered. Blinking rapidly, the woman punched a few keys on the register and politely took Minho’s card, glancing between him and Taemin every few seconds. Finally they left, having made sure the purchases would be delivered to Minho’s apartment so they could walk freely. 

Out in the sun and fresh air, Minho admired the outfit they’d bought on Taemin. It  _ did _ look good, and he did blend in pretty well. Sure, there weren’t a lot of people out with white-blonde hair and eyes with literal sparkles, but at least he no longer looked freshly arrived from Neverland. 

They chose a popular sushi restaurant, and Taemin surprised Minho by eating three and a half pieces, a full piece and a half more than the amount that usually had him complaining about a stomach ache. 

“You’re eating more,” he commented when Taemin slid the plate with the remaining pieces over to him. 

The fairy shrugged. “I’m big more often, now. Maybe my appetite is too.”

“Interesting,” Minho chopstick-ed a piece of spicy tuna roll into his mouth, ever fascinated with the strange ways of his fairy companion. “Did I tell you my friend thinks he saw a nymph?”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I know! I told him he was crazy. Fairies existing is one thing, but-”

“Nymphs are nearly impossible to find. They almost never come out of their environments.”

Minho nearly choked. “What?”

“Unless...” Taemin hummed briefly, “where did he see it?”

Stunned, Minho tried to recall the absurd, half-babbled story his friend had told.. “Uh, he said it was sitting next to the ginkgo tree he keeps on the rooftop, I think.”

“Ohhh...poor thing. I’ve heard of that happening.”

“Heard of what?”

Taemin looked very serious, steepling his hands as if to explain the world to such an uninformed human. “Getting displaced. Like, we fairies can go anywhere we want, but nymphs are connected to their homes, whatever part of nature they inhabit. You’ll never find an ocean nymph in the forest, or a forest nymph in the city, obviously. Except for one thing. If they  _ really _ need to make a move, they can jump into another empty home, as long as they’re quick. I bet this one did that, only for the ginkgo to be moved, taking the nymph with it.”

“So….nymphs exist,” was all Minho could comment.

Taemin rolled his eyes, pointing an accusing chopstick at the other. “And you think _ I’m _ silly. Duh, dummy.” 

Minho just smiled and finished the meal while Taemin played with salt shaker, seeing if he could pour just  _ one  _ grain out at a time. 

The afternoon sun was beginning to hint at setting when they left, Minho’s arm slung over the shorter’s shoulders as they strolled lazily back toward where the car was parked. The shopping district was still busy with people, such that they had to weave in and out of foot traffic. 

Taemin looked worn out, but happy, and he hummed little tunes at a volume only Minho could really pick up as they walked. 

Suddenly Minho started laughing, eyes crinkled in mirth over some thought. 

“What? Why are you laughing? I didn’t say anything funny,” Taemin prodded, poking the other. 

“No, I just realized, I have no idea where we’re going to put all your stuff. My closet isn’t that big, and I think we just bought you more clothes than I even have.” 

Taemin nodded. “I’ll just make it all small. My closet can be the sock drawer. So move your socks.”

“Really? That’s so convenient. I suppose there are  _ some  _ perks to having you around.”

True to Taemin’s usual half-annoyed response, the fairy pinched Minho’s side and laughed at the face he made. His laugh evolved into a yawn, and he paused to stretch through it despite the traffic flowing around them. Taemin had nearly finished when he froze, staring into the crowd on the street ahead of them. 

Confused, Minho glanced between him and the indiscrete mass, not finding anything unusual.

“What?”

“Let’s go the other way,” Taemin urged, voice low.

Minho didn’t move. “Why? That’s the wrong direction.”

Pulling hard on his sleeve and looking nervous, Taemin finally got Minho to follow him along a baffling and totally irrational route through the streets, hurrying along as though running from something. After far too long and too many pointless turns, they finally reached the car, where Taemin immediately became small and hid in the glove compartment. 

Minho refused to start the vehicle. 

“Tell me what the hell you’re doing,” he demanded, stopping Taemin from pulling the compartment shut.

“I’m just tired.”

“No, when you’re tired you complain about the AC being too cold and try to nap in my shirt pocket. Or click through all eight hundred cable channels until you pass out. You definitely do not act like there’s someone chasing you and hide in the dark.” 

The fairy fidgeted, his tiny eyes not meeting Minho’s. “I thought I saw something. The um, cat.”

Minho narrowed his eyes, sensing an untruth. Finally, he sighed and leaned back against the headrest. Taemin had that same look on his face as the last time he hid something, refusing for days to give Minho a straight answer before finally admitting he’d dropped the TV remote out the window while trying to use it to change the channel on a nearby billboard screen. Minho had laughed for a week, but he hadn’t forgotten how difficult it was to get Taemin to talk if he didn’t want to. But it was hard to protect someone who wouldn’t say what was wrong. 

He finally gave in, accepting a silent ride home, and even allowing Taemin to crawl inside his jacket pocket to get inside the apartment. Once there, Taemin only became big long enough to close the curtains on all the windows before shrinking again and retiring to the sock drawer. 

“Not sleeping in the bed?” Minho questioned, shocked. 

Taemin just wrinkled his tiny nose and pulled the drawer mostly shut.

\--


	3. Chapter 3

Minho finished his phone call just as Jinki entered his office, dropping a handful of papers onto his desk and taking a seat in the chair across from him.

“Is the director still upset?” he asked, guessing the nature of the call.

“No, we resolved it,” Minho answered, rubbing an eye wearily, but smiling. “It was an easier fix than he thought, so everything’s fine now.”

Jinki nodded, pleased. “Great, good to hear. Didn’t want that seeping over into my department. Anyway, there’s the research reports for your team to get working against.” He pointed to the papers he’d brought, which Minho immediately began scanning. After a few moments’ silence, he spoke again.

“You seem happier, recently.”

Minho glanced up from his reviews. “What do you mean?”

Jinki hummed, thinking before answering. “Just that,” he mused, “you used to be so energetic and motivated, and for a while it seemed like you lost that, but it’s come back in the past couple months.”

“Huh. Maybe.”

“Hey. Minho. Are you secretly dating someone? We’re friends outside work, you can tell me this stuff.”

Laughing at the thought, Minho sat back in his chair and put the reports briefly aside. “Seriously, Jinki, when would I have time for that sort of thing? You’re here just as long hours as I am. I hardly have any time to meet anyone, let alone start dating them. Between the time I put in here to make sure this place doesn’t fall into complete chaos, and making sure I get home before Taemin turns my apartment inside out, my time is maxed.”

An amused look crept over Jinki’s features, the slightly older man tapping his chin thoughtfully.

“What?”

“Nothing, it’s just...well, your nephew.”

“Neph...right, nephew. Is what Taemin is. Yes.”

Jinki shrugged. “So you’re not dating, but you finally have someone in your life. That must be it, why you’re so relaxed and giddy these days.”

“I’m…” Minho paused, trying to think back over the past weeks and his own moods, which he truly didn’t think much of. But, being honest, he did feel more at ease, and even the long work hours didn’t both him like they used to.

He allowed a small smile to take over his lips.

“Anyway,” Jinki continued, “that’s great, but listen to this! I know you think I’m insane, but I’m telling you, there IS a nymph on my rooftop. I know it. I saw it again last night. No humans are that pretty or wear what it’s wearing, and I am almost positive that it disappeared INTO my ginkgo. You gotta see, it’s amazing. Want to come for dinner this weekend?”

Minho tried very hard not to burst out laughing. “Okay,” he replied, managing to remain calm, “can Taemin come too?”

“Sure, that kid needs to get out more anyway!”

\--

With Taemin’s recent moodiness consisting mostly of avoiding windows, creeping around the apartment and staying small sized more often, Minho opted to wait before asking him about going to Jinki’s house for dinner. But by Saturday evening he had still not caught the fairy in a good enough mood to bring it up, and thus found himself getting ready while Taemin looked on in confusion.

“Why are you trying on outfits? I thought you didn’t like that. You were bored when I did it.”

Minho pulled another sweater off, tossing it onto his bed and rifling through his closet again. Normally he put no thought into his clothes, but for some reason he felt oddly nervous.

“I just can’t find anything comfortable,” he replied, which was true.

Taemin hopped up from where he was sprawled on the bed and pushed Minho aside, staring into the closet with a look of concentration. Finally, he pulled out a striped long-sleeve Minho had nearly forgotten about and handed it to him. “Wear that, it’s soft,” he stated confidently.

Pulling the shirt on, Minho had to admit he was right. It was soft, and eased his nerves slightly. “Thanks. Now, for you, let’s see…” turning and sliding Taemin’s “closet” open, Minho pulled out a few of the doll-sized garments and laid them out on top of the nightstand, trying to arrange something suitable.

“Mine? Why?”

“Because you should look nice,” Minho answered vaguely, “here, put this on.”

Quickly shrinking, Taemin scurried up to the outfit, stripping down to his shorts before trying it on. Minho felt compelled to look away as he did, strangely embarrassed.

“Ok, is it good?”

He looked back, studying his fairy doll. The outfit seemed not quite right. “Hmm, no not that. Hold on.” He pulled another couple items from the drawer while tiny Taemin removed the disqualified outfit, opting to drape himself stomach-down over a hackie-sack that was conveniently sized for being a fairy beanbag, and letting his thin limbs stick out any which way.

“Why are we dressing up?”

Minho sighed. “We’re gonna go see Jinki for dinner.”

Taemin immediately frowned. “No. I don’t want to,” he rejected the idea, turning his face away from the human.

“Taeminnie, come on. You met Jinki, he’s nice! And his house is pretty, you’ll like it.”

The fairy was unmoved. “I don’t think so.”

It was like parenting a petulant child, or arguing with a moody significant other. Minho couldn’t decide which was more accurate.

“Then tell me why you’re avoiding everything outside this apartment,” he suggested, dropping to a crouch to be eye-level with Taemin, who looked at him with surprise.

“Am not!”

“Yes you are. You think I haven’t noticed you avoiding the windows and hiding when I open the door? I told you I won’t let anything hurt you. What are you afraid of?”

Taemin pulled sheepishly at the woven threads on his make-shift pillow, and Minho thought he detected a light blush on his little face.

“M’not afraid…” he pushed back weakly.

Minho lifted his pointer finger and gently pushed the fairy’s head, mussing up his purple-tinged hair. “Then come have dinner with me and Jinki. You can ride the whole way in my pocket if you’re so worried about it.”

“I don’t know…”

“Even if there might be a nymph living in his ginkgo tree?”

Looking up with wide eyes, Taemin pushed halfway off the hackie sack with excited surprise. “Really?! You think so?!”

“You’re the one who said they’re real! Wear this and let’s go find out, we’re already going to be late.”

The fairy grabbed the outfit from Minho, hastily putting it on and reaching for Minho to pick him up.

“Ok,” he agreed, “but there better be a nymph. And I do want to ride in your pocket.”

\--

Driving with Taemin literally inside the hidden chest pocket of his jacket made Minho nervous, but after the fourth time of sticking his hand inside to check on him, and having his finger bitten, he eventually had to trust the fairy wasn’t suffocating.

“Stop poking me!” he’d shouted, asserting his annoyance and jabbing Minho with a tiny fist.

When they reached Jinki’s building and got into the elevator, Minho set Taemin down. No matter how many times the fairy changed size, the human could never quite grasp the moment when it happened. There was no gradual growth, no sound to distinguish it, and he had the strange feeling like he always blinked at just the wrong time and missed the bit of magic that made it possible.

“How do you _do_ that?” he wondered aloud as Taemin checked his outfit in the mirrored elevator door.

“How do you not? It’s so annoying that you have to stay one size. You should really learn.”

“I’ll uh, get right on that…”

They reached Jinki’s floor, and as the elevator doors opened Minho asked himself why he didn’t visit his friend more often. The man’s penthouse flat sprawled open directly from the elevator, shiny marble floors reflecting chandelier light cast down from vaulted ceilings, while tasteful decor completed the picture. Taemin’s eyes lit up, doing their weird sparkling thing, the moment they stepped inside.

“Everything’s so…shiny…” he observed, voice awestruck.

Minho grinned, “Yeah, everything except the person who lives here.”

At that moment Jinki appeared, looking out of place in his own home, dressed in a tracksuit and half-walking, half-sliding over the marble in his slippers. He smiled brightly at them both, completely unaware that he matched nothing around him.

“Hey! Just in time, food should be here soon...Minho seriously, why do you always dress up when you visit?”

The taller man shrugged. “It’s this place, I can’t get used to it.”

Jinki laughed, shoving both hands deep into his jacket pockets. “Me either. I’ll never understand why my mother insists on it. I can see my face in the floors, for goodness sake.”

At that, Taemin immediately looked down, gasping when his reflection looked back at him. Jinki shot Minho a look, lightly amused.

“How’s it going, kid?” he asked.

“How’s what going? I’m not a kid,” Taemin replied, glancing up swiftly at his least favorite nickname.

“How’s...nevermind. Glad you and Minho could come hangout. You look cute, by the way. Come on inside.”

As Jinki turned, motioning them to follow, Taemin grabbed onto Minho’s forearm. “This guy is weird,” he whispered, narrowing his eyes at Jinki’s back.

“I thought you like being called cute,” Minho whispered back, declining to clarify who was actually the weird one in that particular situation.

“Of course. But I don’t like being called ‘kid,’ and I still don’t know what’s going? He’s confusing.”

Minho simply chuckled and ruffled the fairy’s hair, annoying him even more.

Passing through the house, Jinki led them to a set of tall glass doors, in from which the last remnants of sunset were still streaming. The way the light pooled on the shiny floor captured Taemin’s attention quickly, although it was outside the doors that Jinki meant them to focus.

When Jinki referred to the ginkgo tree he kept on the rooftop, what he _meant_ was the ginkgo tree that he kept in his rooftop _garden_ , which was regularly attended to by someone other than Jinki and opened directly off one side of the penthouse. But that was Jinki, understating things as usual.

“Look carefully,” he instructed, voice quiet, “sometimes it comes out around sunset.”

“The nymph?” Minho asked, raising a brow at Taemin, who left his inspection of the sunset-covered marble to begin scanning the garden eagerly.

Jinki nodded.

But despite waiting until the last possible hints of sun had disappeared, no ethereal creatures appeared, leaving the three disappointed. Luckily, dinner arrived to salvage the moment, and they retired to the den to eat.

“I can’t believe you live like this, and this is what you order…” Minho commented dryly, observing the delivery fried chicken covering the low table.

“There is no place too low or too high for the deliciousness of chicken,” Jinki replied, eagerly opening a box and breathing in the aroma with a look of bliss.

They managed to eat dinner without too much difficulty, Minho only having to reroute Taemin off a suspicious path of conversation about four times. The hardest thing was convincing Jinki that Taemin really, truly _was_ full after eating less than one whole piece of chicken. As they were cleaning up, Jinki suggested that Taemin could explore the house if he wanted, since he’d never been there before, and the fairy wandered off with curiosity written across his pretty face.

Minho watched as he went, making sure he didn’t sense the fear from earlier as Taemin studied some of the wall art before disappearing from the room. He seemed to have relaxed, which eased Minho’s concern slightly.

“So how old is he,” Jinki asked suddenly, startling Minho out of his thoughts and back to the task of gathering the remaining food.

“I...I’m not sure,” he replied, realizing for the first time. How old _was_ Taemin? Did fairies live for hundreds of years? Or normal human lifetime lengths? Or shorter? An immense and sudden fear occurred to him, that perhaps Taemin’s life could be far shorter than he assumed.

Jinki paused, the stack of paper plates in his hands. “I thought you were close with his parents?”

“Um,” Minho knew the easy lie he could tell: he forgot the boy’s birthdate, or something. But the question seemed to spiral into other ones that all struck Minho at once. He knew Taemin had parents, but he didn’t know them. Had Taemin just left everything behind when Minho saved his life? Just like that? How could he not know something like the fairy’s birthday? Out of all the miscellaneous information he could recite about his likes and dislikes, habits, preferences and quirks, Minho felt suddenly empty at all the information he lacked about the _person_ of Taemin.

“Minho, I don’t want to pry if it’s really personal, but something has seemed off for a while about all this. I don’t really know how pseudo-nephews usually act, but I kind of doubt it’s the way Taemin behaves.”

Minho swallowed dryly. “What do you mean?”

“It’s not a big deal,” Jinki continued, “just some things I noticed. This is the first time since you got here that he’s been more than three feet from you. I swear it seems like he speaks another language, but he just expects you to get it, and you do somehow. Maybe I haven’t been around him much, so I could be reading into things, but there’s a kind of glitter in that kid’s eyes when he looks at you that makes it seem like he’s never looked at anything he likes better.”

As Jinki talked, Minho slowly sat on the edge of the white linen couch, his pulse steadily rising and his face growing hot.

“Minho...is there something you want to tell me about Taemin?”

\--

Meanwhile, Taemin had grown bored with the sparkling penthouse, one shiny object blending into the next, and had wandered back to the big glass doors. Despite his nervous feelings about the open air, he carefully pushed one open and slipped outside, assuring himself that it was high enough he didn’t need to worry. A cool breeze brushed through the various plants that comprised the rooftop garden, which had a quietness to it at that height that someone below couldn’t imagine in the middle of a city. It felt like a hidden paradise of nature against the night sky, and Taemin suddenly realized how much he missed the greenery. He strolled slowly through the various plants, admiring brilliantly bloomed flowers and sturdy shrubs in turn, and thinking about the choices that brought him to that point.

“What are you doing here?” a voice asked, unexpectedly.

Taemin froze, turning slowly to face the one addressing him with the very same question he happened to be asking himself. He was met with the cooly slanted eyes and almost haughty expression of a person who knew they were beautiful, skin faintly glowing in the pale moonlight as that one stood just inside the shadow of a large fern.

“Just walking,” Taemin answered vaguely.

“No, I mean, what are you, a fairy, doing here?”

At that, Taemin smiled. He’d been surprised at first, but then recognized the signs: colorful hints in the skin that looked almost like makeup, garments that could almost fool someone into thinking it wasn’t composed of intricately arranged leaves, the timbre of the voice….

“I’ll tell you, if you tell me how _you_ got here, nymph,” the fairy replied cheekily with a smile.

The creature let out an airy laugh, and half-floated to sit on the wooden walkway between the foliage. “Fair enough,” he replied, “but please call me Kibum. Nymphs have names you know.”

\--

“Um, I should probably go find him. He’s been weird lately and may be hiding in your coat closet right now-I mean, he might be kinda lost in this big place,” Minho stuttered, avoiding the question. How Jinki had noticed all of that, he didn’t know, as most of it he hadn’t noticed himself, but it was getting far too close to admitting the nature of things. He knew well enough when to cut and run. Standing, Minho walked quickly into the open living space, glancing around for any sign of his fairy, and growing concerned when there weren’t any.

Jinki sighed exasperatedly, following him. “See? This is just what I mean.”

“No, I don’t see,” Minho evaded, heading for the kitchen.

“Fine. I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think Taemin is your sorta nephew at all. I think-”

“Taemin is a fairy.”

Jinki blinked, mouth hanging open as Minho held his gaze resolutely, turning on his heel to face his friend directly. He hadn’t meant to say that per se, but it came out, and perhaps the guy who thought a nymph lived in his garden would be able to be trusted with this sort of information.

“Well,” Jinki said, recovering slightly, “that was _not_ where I was going with that line of thought, but...what the _fuck_??”

\--

Kibum toyed with one of the long strands of the fern, smirking prettily as he processed Taemin’s story.

“So he has no idea.”

“Not really,” Taemin confirmed, leaning back casually on his palms with legs outstretched on the wooden panels. “He doesn’t seem to care.”

“How strange. I wish this human would stop caring. He won’t quit trying to catch me.”

“Mine tried to get rid of me. Super rude. And he shut me in a drawer once. But I like how simple everything is with him.”

“So you’d rather stay, despite everything he doesn’t know? Even though you miss home?”

The smallest, gentlest smile slipped onto Taemin’s lips, a different kind than the mischievous one he normally wore. He looked at the nymph and answered softly, “Yeah. I’d rather stay.”

Kibum smiled back. “You’re a weird fairy, Taemin.”

A few paces to the side, low in the shadows of a thick flowerbed, something small and shimmery moved swiftly away, disappearing without either person noticing its presence.

At about the same moment, the glass doors opened again for two humans to step out, the taller one calling for Taemin with a hint of concern in his voice.

Kibum tensed, body leaning instinctively toward the ginkgo tree. But before he could disappear fully, Taemin reached for his hand and caught him.

“They’re coming,” Kibum warned, voice nervous.

Taemin nodded. “I know. You should stay.”

“Why?”

“My human is safe. And I think that Jinki guy is too. He talked about seeing you, and he didn’t sound dangerous at all. He sounded amazed.”

Glancing anxiously at the direction of the quickly approaching men, Kibum hesitated. “I’m not some spectacle to stare at,” he countered.

Gently, Taemin squeezed Kibum’s hand and pulled, the two standing together.

“Give it a chance. If he’s bad, we’ll take your tree far away.”

\--

 _Could Taemin have actually gone outside?_ Minho wondered, looking anxiously through the garden in hopes that the fairy hadn’t shrunk, making him nearly impossible to find. Jinki remained quiet as they followed the footpath, and Minho figured he was still processing.

They turned past some ficuses, and suddenly met a smiling Taemin.

“Hi.”

Behind Taemin, holding onto his small hand and keeping its gaze averted, stood Kibum. Jinki gasped, stumbling back a step.

“I knew it,” he breathed in wonderment.

Minho, filled with relief, stepped forward and patted Taemin’s soft petal-purple hair. “Look at that, you found the nymph. Happy?”

“Mhmm,” Taemin returned, emitting a few little pleased sparkles, before quickly restraining the magic and shooting a nervous glance at Jinki.

Minho leaned closer, dropping his hand down to comfortingly cradle Taemin’s neck. He whispered, “Don’t worry, he knows now. You can be a fairy, not my nephew.”

Taemin sighed loudly as Minho pulled back. “Oh good. That was so awkward.”

“Want to introduce us?”

Nodding, Taemin tugged Kibum’s hand, pulling him up beside him and gesturing as if to present the nymph proudly. “This is Kibum, he's a wood nymph.”

“Or dryad, or in back in Japan they called me _kodama_...”

“ _I knew it_ ,” Jinki repeated, clasping his hands near his chin and dancing a little in excitement. “Do you really live in the ginkgo tree?”

“An extreme oversimplification of the complex bond between and nymph and its dwelling, but yes, if you want to phrase it that way,” Kibum responded, a little defensively.

Jinki looked awestruck. “This is incredible. I have so many questions for you...wait, I have so many questions for _you_ too!” He turned his attention to Taemin, who took a small step back.

Sensing that the evening was about to become a little too much, Minho stepped in, looping a protective arm around Taemin’s waist, but missing the interested glance from the wood nymph. The fairy gave an acquiescent nod.

“I think the questions will have to wait for another day,” Minho announced, “It’s late and I know this fairy that tends to turn into a pumpkin around midnight. We should go.”

“Hey, that’s the wrong story. There’s no fairies in Cinderella!”

“Fairy Godmother,” Jinki supplied.

Taemin rolled his eyes. “Different.”

“You’ve been watching way too much tv while I’m at work…” Minho chuckled, smiling affectionately. He nudged Taemin, urging him towards their departure, but found that the fairy had not released his hold on the nymph just yet.

Tilting his head, Taemin regarded the elegant entity with concern, silently awaiting a status update.

Kibum looked between the three of them and exhaled carefully. He released Taemin’s hand, saying, “It’s fine, I’ll retire for the evening…” as he backed away gracefully.

“Wait!”

The nymph paused.

“Will you come out again?” Jinki inquired earnestly, voice betraying no threat.

After a moment, in which everyone else held their breath, Kibum smiled hesitantly. “Perhaps..” he replied.

Jinki smiled. “Okay.”

\--


	4. Chapter 4

Some kind of shift occurred that night in the rooftop garden. Although outwardly the same, there was some difference, something neither Taemin or Minho mentioned on their way home; neither spoke, but in the car Taemin pulled Minho’s free hand inside his jacket where he could hold onto it while they drove.

Minho’s habit changed as well over the next days. As the afternoon approached, he consistently felt the need to return home earlier; not because he was tired, but because he wondered what Taemin had amused himself with that day, and what he’d want to talk about that night. At home, Minho happily complied with whatever the fairy suggested. Video games Minho had nearly forgot he owned made a reappearance, as well as board games that appeared shortly after Taemin learned he could order things online.

Some evenings Taemin would hurry them through dinner, excited to watch a movie he’d found, and drag Minho to the couch. They followed the same pattern every time: over the course of the movie, Taemin would slowly get more tired, lose interest bit by bit, and nudge Minho over until he could use him as a full-body pillow to lay across. Unbothered, Minho would let the movie play out, watching passively while combing his fingers through Taemin’s soft hair and listening to his unconscious breathing, then carefully carry him to bed when it ended. These were some of the evenings Minho liked best.

And he learned the fairy was surprisingly good at dancing, though Minho blamed the music shows he watched incessantly for teaching him a little _too_ well. He walked into the apartment one evening to find the other copying music videos with shocking accuracy, a game which carried on well into the evening, and started to drive Minho a little crazy.

“Stop that,” he begged, watching from the couch while Taemin copied the swiveling hips of the group of girls singing in the video on screen behind him.

Taemin didn’t. “It’s fun,” he argued, shimmying.

“No, It’s distracting,” Minho replied, gesturing pointedly with the book he’d been failing to read for over an hour. The fairy shrugged between moves, and continued as if Minho had never spoken.

When the choreography circled around to the hip swivels again, however, he’d had enough. Tossing the book aside, Minho rose and grabbed Taemin, halting his dancing with a firm hand on either hip.

“I said, stop it,” he repeated, staring the fairy down. Taemin looked shocked, a light sheen of sweat glistening beneath the pinkish strands of hair falling across his forehead.

He stared back, breathing shallowly. “Okay…”

With Taemin’s lithe body held close to him like that, feeling shockingly solid and real and not at all mythical or other-worldly, Minho suddenly found it even harder to focus than when he’d been dancing. He could no longer remember why he’d been so adamant that Taemin stop; all he could do was follow the crystalline bead of sweat that slid down his temple, over the curve of his jaw and onto his neck. When the fairy exhaled shortly and licked his lips, Minho’s gaze jumped to them, their wide, plush redness making the corners of his vision haze out. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. He wanted to…he wanted…

The fairy shakily extricated himself from Minho’s grasp, mumbling something about washing up and swiftly disappearing into the bathroom while the other tried to make sense of the previous few minutes. Coming up empty, Minho gave the bathroom door a long glance before simply going to bed. It wasn't until sometime later, once he’d already fallen asleep, that Taemin quietly exited the bathroom and crept onto the bed behind Minho, curling up facing his back.

“I don’t know what’s going on anymore,” he whispered at the broad shoulders moving steadily with the flow of Minho’s breath, so quietly he could barely hear it himself.  

\--

It was a Tuesday morning not long after that Minho woke extra early to meet Jinki for coffee before heading to work. Rain poured outside his window as he forced his eyes open, blinking a few times and yawning, stretching cat-like out of the covers. Waking on rainy days was always hardest for him, but it had become even more difficult lately.

Turning on his side, Minho stole a few minutes from his prep time to admire the one still sleeping there. He used to think Taemin looked childlike when he slept, but recently decided it was the opposite. He was childlike when he was awake and buzzing around the apartment, acting like it was brand new every day and finding new messes to make, fresh ways to keep Minho’s life interesting. It was when sleeping that he looked older; calm, with the lightest crease in his brow and hands tucked up near his face, chest rising and falling steadily. Minho could see his fluttering heartbeat under the delicate skin at his throat, faster than a human’s, and it always eased his mind to watch it.

He reached over the few inches between them and brushed the strands of blonde-again hair back from Taemin’s face, letting his hand linger in the locks behind his ear for a few seconds. As he drew his hand back, he couldn’t resist ghosting the pads of his fingers across the smooth angle of Taemin’s jaw, hesitating as he neared the soft lips, then retracting. He couldn’t recall a more peaceful moment in his life than right then, and didn’t want to risk waking him.  

“Please always stay like this,” Minho whispered, smiling for a moment, then forced himself out of bed.

When he reached the coffee shop where Jinki sat waiting, two hot Americano’s sitting on the table in front of him, Minho sat down gratefully and sipped the hot drink. The rain wasn’t too chilly, but inside the shop was warm and aromatic, only increasing the pleasant melancholy of his mood.

They sipped for a few minutes before Minho remembered what he wanted to ask.

“How’re things with Kibum?” He questioned.

Jinki’s face lit up. “Incredible. I mean, I think my maid is going insane because I always leave the garden door open now, but I’ve finally convinced him he can come inside if he wants to. So far it seems like he can go anywhere in the penthouse, but that’s about it. I’ve been researching all about it to see how far he’s allowed to go from that ginkgo. So far, not much luck.”

Minho nodded. “It did seem like he’s pretty tied to it, from what Taemin said.”

“He is, yeah. But I’ve been thinking about making a trip to Okinawa, there’s supposed to be an expert who lives in the Northern forest there that might know more.”

“You’re going to Japan?” Minho replied, a little surprised.

Jinki nodded, taking another sip of his drink. “I’m thinking about it, yeah. Why?”

“That’s...well, the farthest I’ve seen you go for anything was Incheon. I’m just impressed.”

Taking a moment and swirling his drink, Jinki didn’t answer right away. Minho waited, watching the soft expression steal over his friend’s face while he became momentarily lost in his thoughts.

Finally he said, “I guess I didn’t have anything worth going anywhere for, till now.”

Minho smiled. “That’s fair.”

They both decided the coffee wasn’t quite enough, and so Minho went briefly to grab some breakfast pastries since Jinki had been generous enough to buy the drinks. Two warm breads in hand, he returned to their table to find Jinki leveling a strange expression at him.

“What now?” he asked, handing a plate to his friend and taking a large bite of his pastry.

Jinki accepted the food, setting it down gently before resuming staring at Minho.

“Just wondering when you plan to tell Taemin that you’re in love with him.”

Minho choked on the bite, coughing loudly and disturbing the other customers for a minute before he could finally catch his breath again. When he was no longer dying, he shot Jinki an annoyed glare.

“What on _earth_ are you talking about??”

The other maintained his serious expression. “I’m serious,” he pressed further, “when? That’s what I was getting at when you two came over last. I mean sure, he acts the way I suppose fairies must, but what I meant was that he acts like your boyfriend.”

“My…” Minho gripped his mug, staring into the brown liquid and watching the curls of steam rise from it. _Boyfriend...boyfriend? A fairy boyfriend?_

“Is that even possible, dating a fairy?” He asked very quietly.

Jinki shrugged. “How would I know? You’ll have to ask him. But from what I’ve seen, I imagine his answer will be something like, ‘What do you mean possible, dummy? Obviously we’re dating and I want to spend the rest of my dramatic fairy life with you, stupid human!’ Or something.” Jinki’s impression of Taemin made Minho’s eyes roll almost of their own accord, but he blushed nonetheless.

“I don’t know…”

“I just think you’ll regret it, if you don’t ask.”

They finished their breakfast quietly, heading to work shortly thereafter and nodding to one another as they entered the building and headed to their separate offices. But Jinki’s words plagued Minho constantly throughout the day, popping into his head at random times and distracting him. The image of that morning, and Taemin’s peaceful, angelic face asleep in his bed, kept appearing in his mind’s eye whether he was sitting as his desk or trying to conduct a meeting, even at his lunch break. He thought about how pleased he felt whenever he could make Taemin smile, how much brighter the apartment seemed when he was laughing, the way it both amused and annoyed him anytime the fairy made a mess or contradicted him...and he thought of the pain he felt seeing the little one’s scar, or when Taemin seemed afraid. Minho felt like he cared about a lot of people in his life, but most of that suddenly paled in comparison to how much he cared for this particular one.

Perhaps there was some truth to what Jinki said.

\--


	5. Chapter 5

Taemin lay on the floor in the middle of the living room, centered on the carpet and staring hard at the ceiling. He’d moved the coffee table specifically for this purpose and wanted to make the most of sorting out this ambiguous feeling.

When he first attached himself to Minho, finding fun things to do all day was easy. He could shrink down and treat the apartment like a castle to explore, climbing things and crawling into secret spaces. He could taunt the birds that flew up to the window, draw on the back inside walls of the cabinets using his magic for light, or spoon-paddle around the bathtub in a ramen bowl. Even before living there, Taemin never had a problem amusing himself when alone, and didn’t feel particularly lonely when he was.

Until he did. Ever since the dinner, he struggled through palpable aloneness every minute that Minho wasn’t there. While he made sure to find some activity to report as that day’s amusement, Taemin felt like his day didn’t really begin until the other got home. He hated the analogy of his existence to that of a pet, not simply because it was insulting but because he _felt_ like one; growing excited when he heard the man approaching the door and wanting all his attention till the moment he fell asleep.

So he lay in the middle of the floor, waiting and feeling lonely, watching the hours of the day pass with the changing light outside the window.

Then, the doorbell rang.

The mail had already been delivered, and Taemin couldn’t remembering ordering anything or seeing Minho do so, but he pulled himself up with a sigh anyway and trudged to the door. He quickly checked that his outfit looked acceptably human: jeans and one of Minho’s floppy sweaters that day, which he figured was fine. Approving himself for public viewing, Taemin twisted the lock and opened the door halfway, but found no one there.

“Okay…” he made a face, informing the world of his displeasure over its needless interruption of his melancholy laziness, and shut the door.

Only two steps away, the doorbell rang again, this time making Taemin’s lips quirk into a frustrated sneer. He turned and jerked the door open once again.

“Hey list-” he started, fully prepared to go off on the rude person, but was pushed back into the apartment by an alarmingly swift force until he tripped backwards onto the couch.

A near blinding, triumphant smile shone down at him, backed by soft brown hair and a pair of wings.

“Gotcha!” the person stated.

Taemin groaned, dragging his hands over his face in annoyance. “Nooo…why did you come here? Why couldn’t you leave me alone?”

“Are you joking?” the person asked, flitting to the back of the couch and perching there, staring down at Taemin. “Our prince disappears for months, and I’m not supposed to find him?”

“Jonghyun…”

The other fairy smacked Taemin’s elbow where it pointed into the air, forcing him to uncover half his face and look up. His expression was more serious. “Don’t whine at me like that. I may look pleased to see you but I’m pissed as hell so don’t test me.”

“I’m sorry,” Taemin started-

But Jonghyun laughed, losing a bit of control over his temper. “Oh you are! Because it looks like you’ve been enjoying yourself here, not thinking about the rest of us at all. Not thinking about your parents, wondering if you’re even alive. Not thinking about the kingdom that suddenly is missing it’s heir. And definitely not thinking about me, your  _best friend_ and the person responsible for looking after you, wandering around this hellish city for months, trying to convince myself it’s not for nothing because of course, of course you’re alive! You have to be!”

The fairy had begun pacing the room, floating every few steps as his wings fluttered in agitation while he ranted. Taemin sat up on the couch, a deep ache creeping into his chest as Jonghyun’s words sank in. He suddenly felt miserable.

“And then, just when I think I’m going to have to go back and tell everyone I couldn’t find you, there you are in the middle of the street, perfectly healthy and next to some _human_?? What the HELL Taemin? Can you imagine how it felt to have you look at me like was I your nightmare, to see you turn and _run from me_? And know that despite how you obviously didn’t want to be found, I was obligated to keep looking until I could track you down? So yes, gods yes, I hope you’re sorry. And I can’t wait to hear the explanation for this, because it better be good.”

When Taemin managed to look up, his heart dropped into his stomach. Typical to Jonghyun’s habit, the fairy was crying, his face a mixture of relief, anger and betrayal that made Taemin so ashamed he could throw up. He reached for Jonghyun’s hand, taking small comfort that the other didn’t reject his touch.

“Jonghyun, it’s complicated…”

“So un-complicate it!”

“I’m happy here.”

Jonghyun shook his head slowly. “Damn, that _is_ complicated. How could I ever understand? Because you were so miserable at home!”

“That’s not it! I can’t…” Taemin argued, confused about how to explain, eyes searching the floor nervously for some help.

“You can’t what? Give me a straight answer?”

Taemin looked up at him, eyes sorrowful. “I can’t go back.”

The other fairy scoffed, mockingly amused. “You always were so dramatic. I’ll help. We’ll go out the door, change back to our proper sizes, and fly home. Pretty sure you can do that.”

“I can’t fly. I lost a wing.”

“You lost…” Jonghyun stared at him, processing, then pulled Taemin forward and reached over him, yanking up the sweater to reveal his one wing and the scar where it’s twin ought to be. He hissed in a breath. “How.”

Pushing out of the awkward angle to face Jonghyun again, Taemin explained. “I wasn’t even in the city, I was in the nature preserve nearby. I got distracted by some flower bulbs and a cat snuck up on me, got me by the wing before I knew what was happening. Ripped it right off and would’ve done worse if...if I hadn’t been saved.”

“By the human?”

“Yes, by...by Minho. His name is Choi Minho and he’s the best human I’ve ever seen.”

Jonghyun crossed his arms, clearly still angry but with a hint of sympathy in his eyes. “So what then? Why didn’t you just thank him and leave? Is he holding you hostage? In that garden you said he didn't care, that he shut you in a drawer.”

“You were in the garden?! Where?? Wait, no, I just said he’s the best-”

“Best, worst, who cares! What about that could stop you from coming back where you belong?!”

Then it was Taemin’s turn to cry, tears of shame and distress. “How could I? What good have I ever done there? And now I’m half useless with one wing, and not even lost in some admirable way like battle or saving someone, but to a _cat_...I’m already a terrible prince. Why would anyone want that?”

A moment of silence passed between them, filled only with Taemin’s soft sniffling and the gentle hum of the refrigerator until finally Jonghyun spoke again.   

“Unbelievable. So out of injured pride you left us, with not even a message, and charmed some poor human with your magic for all these months to let you just live with him?”

“What? No, I didn’t-”

“Don’t get me wrong, I see the logic in it, even if using your magic to charm a human for actual months seems like a shitty thing to do even from my perspective. But hey, you were willing to abandon us, so I guess it’s not hard to believe.”

Taemin stood up, eyes puffy and wide with shock. “Jonghyun-”

“Is that true?”

Spinning toward the new voice, Taemin gaped, horrified to see Minho standing in the still open door, confusion etched across his face.

\--

By three in the afternoon, Minho couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t concentrate on work at all, and could tell his team was suffering for his distraction as he struggled to answer their questions or approve their work. Alerting his team leader of his early departure and leaving the man in charge, Minho grabbed his jacket and briefcase, heading out of the office with a nervous excitement in his step. It felt like there were little currents of electricity running under his skin as he drove, pushing the speed limit all the way back to his apartment and parking terribly in his haste to get upstairs, to see Taemin. To tell him.

He was surprised to find the door standing wide open.

Slowing his approach in concern, Minho’s breathing grew shallow at the sound of another voice, not Taemin’s, coming muffled from inside. He paused just outside the threshold, trying to calm his heart rate enough to hear the conversation taking place.

“-injured pride you left us, with not even a message, and charmed some poor human with your magic for all these months to let you just live with him?” the stranger’s voice claimed, his words an unexpected stab into Minho’s gut.

Taemin’s voice followed. “What? No, I didn’t-”

“Don’t get me wrong, I see the logic in it, even if using your magic to charm a human for actual months seems like a shitty thing to do even from my perspective. But hey, you were willing to abandon us, so I guess it’s not hard to believe,” the stranger continued.

Minho felt hot, suddenly understanding his odd feelings over the last few months. _What an idiot I must be_ , he thought, stepping inside to see the strange fairy and Taemin, _to think I was falling in love_.

“Is that true?” Minho found himself asking, holding his briefcase limply at his side and feeling empty.

To his credit, Taemin looked horrified. But most people caught in such an act usually were.

The fairy rushed to him, grabbing onto Minho’s jacket and speaking desperately to him. “No...no, no I didn’t-”

“So everything about ‘save a fairy’s life, it’ll stick with you forever,’ was just a lie so you could use me?”

“That’s the line he fed you? How pitiable,” the other fairy, apparently named Jonghyun, commented, “it must be a shock to you to learn. In the past it’s always been common practice to be gone before a human ever realizes. What a shame.”

Taemin’s head jerked between them, his desperation seeming to increase as he clutched the jacket tighter. “No! Minho, listen I-” but Minho shook his head, dropping his briefcase to grip Taemin’s smaller hands in his own and detach their hold on him.

“It makes sense,” he said, tone flat, “honestly. It really explains a lot. What the hell was I thinking all this time, letting you have run of this place like you owned it...and me? Of course it was some bullshit fairy magic messing with my head.” He dropped Taemin’s hands and stepped around him, walking numbly towards the bedroom. Taemin tried to follow, grasping for some part of him, only to have Minho turn and swat his hand away.

“I think you should go now.”

The fairy deflated entirely, tears quickly returning to his eyes. “Please…”

“Taemin, you heard the human, let’s go. We’ve been too long without our prince already, no need to prolong it any more.”

Minho let out a humorless laugh. “You’re a fucking prince? I’m so...that is so damn typical. Holy shit.”

“Minho, I don’t want to leave! Let me explain!” Taemin begged.

“Yeah I heard, your injured pride and all that. But I actually don’t care. So you can get out.”

Dropping to his knees, Taemin stared up at the human, the one he suddenly realized he didn’t want to live apart from, and didn’t know a thing to say.

Minho was finished with it. He turned and opened the door to the bedroom, saying only, “Shut the door behind you.” Then, he did just that.

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaand the angst begins :)))


	6. Chapter 6

For the next week Minho was in the office two hours earlier than usual and stayed long past everyone else had gone home. He just didn’t want to be at his apartment and avoided going home as long as possible, finding places to eat late dinners or working out until he could barely keep himself standing. When he was too exhausted to do anything more, he’d steel himself and return. The apartment felt eerie, and he couldn’t look anywhere without a reminder of what it lacked; his solution was to leave the lights off, walking by memory to his bed and hoping the exhaustion would knock him out before his mind wandered too close to the blocked off area where he’d locked away all thoughts about Taemin.

Jinki didn’t notice until nearly a week had passed. He brought the usual reports on Monday morning and was surprised to find Minho there before him, when he typically just left the documents on his desk.

“Minho? Wow, you’re early,” he observed, studying the other’s face as he dropped the stack on his desk. “Why are you so early?”

“Hmm? Oh...I just am I guess.”

A collection of empty coffee cups littered Minho’s desk, in among his current work and even projects that had been set aside due to time constraints, which suddenly Minho seemed to have hours to spare for. Jinki scanned the scene with growing concern.

“Minho...what time were you in this morning?”

Minho paused, checked his watch. “Five-thirty, I think.”

Jinki sucked in a breath. “The building isn’t even open till six.”

“Maintenance let me in.”

“I hate to ask this, but what time did you leave on Friday?”

“Nine? Or so? I’m not sure, I worked out in the fitness room downstairs for a while so it might have been later,” he responded distractedly, eyes glued to his computer screen.

It was easy was for Jinki to extrapolate from this information. He could see the signs: bags under Minho’s eyes, tone devoid of any emotion, a drastic change in schedule…

“What happened, Minho? Why are doing this to yourself?”

“I’m not doing anything to myself. I’m just working.”

Jinki exhaled loudly in frustration, throwing his hands up. “Overworking! For no reason! When did this start? Was it...is something happening with Taemin?”

Minho tensed, a cold wave of anger washing over him like an incoming tide. “No. Nothing is happening with him.”

“So you just suddenly feel like coming in super early, and staying super late, despite how a handful of days ago you were rushing home?”

“I have work to do, Jinki. That’s why I’m here. Last I checked you do also, so maybe you should go do that instead of bothering me pointlessly.”

That was enough to send Jinki toward the door, his jaw tight with annoyance, not so much at Minho’s rudeness but that he wouldn’t give him the chance to help. He paused with his fingers on the door handle, turning momentarily back towards his friend.

“Alright, I get it. You don’t want to deal with...whatever it is. But don’t think for a second that being an asshole about it is going to stop me from trying to do something to help.” With a final pointed look, Jinki exited the office, leaving Minho alone with his work.

\--

Arriving back home in his pathetic state was bad, Taemin realized, but arriving there when he wanted so badly to be somewhere else was even worse. The sweetness of seeing his parents again after such a long time quickly turned sour as they asked where he’d been, and even sourer as they mourned his injury. The loss of the wing felt so trivial compared to the loss of Minho, and he hated the disproportionate attention they gave it.

Once the days of celebrating his return had ended, and the physicians had studied his back extensively, trying to determine if they could fix him, Taemin slipped away from everything and escaped to his treehouse. The nickname was a little absurd; pretty much the whole kingdom was, in essence, treehouses, as it spread like an intricate web among the roots of the forest and into hollow trees and some higher branches. But Taemin’s getaway was special. A ways away from the kingdom proper, in a willow half growing and half dead from a lightning strike, he had fashioned a space that only fit about three fairies at most, and that the others were all too intimidated to hangout in. On the one side, out of the small opening and through the swaying branches, he could see over much of the forest and even the edges of the city. The other side he’d had to secure where the tree had cracked and fallen away.

Getting to it with only one wing proved to be a struggle, so much that he actually had to become big to climb most of the way before shrinking again to get inside. Once there, Taemin collapsed into the cushions littering the floor, closing his eyes and finally letting himself experience some of the sadness that had been building up ever since Jonghyun half-dragged him out of the city.

Lying there felt eerily similar to lying on Minho’s apartment floor. The sounds were all wrong though; buzzing insects instead of the hum from the tv, birds chirping rather than the occasional noises from next door, and the passing breeze a change from when the air conditioning would kick in.

Taemin just wanted to sleep. He hadn’t been able to comfortably rest since his return, and he knew why. Each night he had to lie down on the delicately sewn cushion, fashioned from handily stolen fabric(fairies liked to appropriate things), and know that he was going to be there alone till morning; his mind simply wouldn’t calm. He wanted the steady breathing at his side, the strong arm that often draped over him as it’s owner shifted. Taemin wanted Minho there, and he wasn’t.

“Taemin…”

He quirked one eye open, watching with a bland expression as Jonghyun climbed into the treehouse and carefully settled cross-legged on the floor.

“Will you be angry with me forever?”

The pissed off prince grunted noncommittally, turning on his side away from the other fairy. He couldn’t be fully angry with Jonghyun, who’d suffered plenty on his behalf, but at the same time the other _had_ created the circumstances for Minho to misunderstand everything. So he was applying his best silent treatment.

Jonghyun sighed loudly, and Taemin didn’t have to look to picture his friend’s pout.

“Please Taeminnie, I was just doing what I had to. You know I couldn’t have come back without you, not if I knew where you were.”

Taemin didn’t answer. That was true enough. Didn’t make him feel any better, though.

“I know you haven’t been sleeping.”

He buried his face in the cushions, not any more pleased with that item of the one-sided conversation.

But Jonghyun persisted, even poking at the underside of Taemin’s foot as he spoke. The prince jolted slightly, pulling his foot out of reach. “Is it because your scar hurts? Or because you’re mad? Is your room not comfortable anymore? Just tell me that much so we can fix it, you’re even worse when you’re tired on top of being angry.”

Groaning, Taemin flipped back over, leveling a flat look at Jonghyun, lips pressed into a line and eyes narrowed. He thought for a second, then beckoned the other fairy over, patting the cushions next to him. Jonghyun hesitated in confusion for a moment before crawling over in the relatively small space and lying next to Taemin. Not quite satisfied, Taemin pushed until Jonghyun faced away and the slimmer fairy could curl up against his back.

“Taemin, what-”

“Shh.”

It wasn’t quite right. He still couldn’t relax. Pulling on Jonghyun’s arm, Taemin repositioned them both so he could half-drape over the other, resting his head on his chest and listening carefully. Even so, the heartbeat he heard was too fast, too much like his own. It didn’t relax him either. And Jonghyun just wasn’t tall enough.

Jonghyun patted his hair, which he’d turned jet black almost in protest, gently like he had in the past when Taemin needed someone to cuddle him. “Is this one of those times where you want to be called cute but won’t just ask for it?”

Sighing dramatically, Taemin rolled away, complaining, “It’s just not the same.”

“The same as what?...the same...as...are you telling me you used to sleep like that with that _human_?? That’s why you can’t sleep??”

The shock in Jonghyun’s voice irked Taemin even further. “His _name_ is Minho, and it’s none of your business.”

“...you actually liked him, for real, didn’t you?”

Taemin’s lack of response prompted Jonghyun to sit up and slide the few inches closer to him again, scooping him up so that Taemin’s shoulders rested in his lap, the petulant prince’s head resting on his thigh apathetically. At least Jonghyun could count on that, that only in Taemin’s worst moods would he reject being held in some capacity. It was a small but good sign.

“I’m sorry,” he said, keeping his voice soothing, “I didn’t realize. But you know how those things end. One day the magic wears off and, just like this time, they realize they’ve been charmed since the beginning. It would’ve happened eventually.”

“I never once charmed him,” replied Taemin, breaking his silence.

“What?”

Turning his gaze up and finally meeting Jonghyun’s eyes, Taemin explained what he’d been trying to since the apartment. “I never charmed him. Not that I didn’t try, I tried plenty of times. It just didn’t ever work on him.”

“That’s...that’s impossible.”

“I thought so, I thought maybe getting injured broke my magic too. I mean, I even tried a physical transfer on the very first day, but even being right in his face did nothing. So I tested it on other humans. It worked on the mailman, the lady next door, these girls in the city...everybody except Minho. He even caught me trying it once, like he could _feel_ it. I had absolutely no power over him whatsoever.”

“Then,” Jonghyun began, puzzlement clear on his face, “how on earth did you convince him to let you stay? _Why_ did you stay?”

Shifting to be more comfortable in Jonghyun’s lap, Taemin sighed. “Well, he wasn’t wrong. I did lie. I mean, like I could leave knowing there was a person unaffected by my levels of charming magic! At first anyway, but after that I just...wanted to be there. I liked him,” Taemin paused, heart hurting, but eventually continued. “And because...I really was ashamed, Jonghyun. I really didn’t want to come home like this.” He had to admit that it did feel a little better, getting to be honest with his best friend.

At that, Jonghyun leaned so he could cradle his arms around Taemin, hugging him warmly.

“You could’ve come home with no wings, no magic, nothing left at all, and we’d still want you here, Taemin. No one thinks you’re useless. A little frivolous maybe, but not useless. You’re our prince.”

Taemin laid his hands over Jonghyun’s arms. He was appreciative, but knew his friend still didn’t fully understand. _Thank you_ , he thought, _but that’s just it. There, I wasn’t anything. Just Taemin._

After a little while Jonghyun announced he had to leave and made his way over to the opening, mumbling something about having been supposed to be looking for a new Eastern post. But he’d hoped Taemin might fall asleep if he was there, and was disappointed.

“Hey, do you want me to try and find Jongin? So you can sleep?” he asked as a final thought, poised to fly out of the treehouse.

Wide-eyed, Taemin shook his head emphatically. “No, no do not do that. I do _not_ want that.” Taemin paled at the idea; the last thing he needed was Jongin around to make his emotions even _more_ confusing.

Jonghyun grinned. “Alright, alright nevermind. Just an idea. I’ll see you,” and he stepped out into the air, hovering and waving before he disappeared.

\--

He could not find his lucky tie. No matter how thoroughly he searched, nowhere that Minho looked seemed to be hiding the stupid thing, and he did not have much time left to be searching for it. He’d worn that particular tie to every truly important meeting he’d had, and the upcoming one with the director could not be an exception.

Slamming another drawer in his dresser shut, Minho released a string of curses, pushing his hands roughly through his hair in frustration. It was an absurd things to be stressed over, but he couldn’t help that the tie made him feel confident. He wasn’t superstitious, but he knew the psychology behind these things.

He stepped back once to scan his bedroom, hoping for a sign.

Nothing.

Another step; still no new perspective.

At a third step back, Minho accidentally hit his thigh against the bedside table, somehow hard enough to knock the thing back into the wall and subsequently jar the drawer free. As he hissed and pressed a hand to the bruise, his gaze fell on the drawer’s contents; a few socks, his missing tie...and a collection of tiny outfits.

Minho dropped to the floor, knees bent as he buried his face in his hands and let the mixture of frustration and heartache run wild inside, a much stronger hurt than the rapidly forming bruise on his leg.

He tried not to count how many days it had been, but ten somehow felt like a hundred and none at all at the same time. Because he still kept finding little reminders no matter how he tried to avoid them, and every time he did the shock came back as fresh as the moment he heard how he’d been fooled. And it didn’t matter how exhausted he made himself during the day, because he couldn’t get any rest in the half-empty bed with no one pressing in odd places against his back at night. He’d wake up in the middle of the night expecting to turn and find Taemin sleeping calmly there, and relax in the peacefulness of his breathing, but instead he found only pale blue empty space that kept him awake till dawn.

Pulling himself together, Minho rubbed a hand over his face before standing and grabbing the tie, sliding the drawer closed. As it clicked shut, he couldn't help remembering the moment he'd pettily shut small-sized Taemin inside. The little fool had been so incensed after not getting his way that morning, even though he eventually did.

Minho paused, midway through tying his tie.

_Huh._ Hadn't it seemed to him at the time like Taemin was frustrated? How had that conversation gone?

Faint words echoed in Minho's mental ear…

_“Don’t you try that sneaky fairy magic on me, I saw how you tricked the mailman into thinking those shimmery clothes are normal, and into bringing you sugar cookies.”_

_“He doesn’t seem to mind it.”_

_“Well I mind it. None of your jedi mind tricks and sparkling eyes for me. Got it? Or I WILL kick you out.”_

It seemed to him like a conversation that should have gone differently since he was being charmed at the time. _Right, shouldn't he have just got his way from the start?_ Minho wondered, frozen in thought.

_Maybe he didn't do it right away…_

But when he thought through their time together, none of it seemed to add up to being a person influenced by magic. He'd convinced Taemin to do things he didn't want, stopped him when he'd been too annoying or too much, and refused to go along with the fairy’s will on plenty of occasions. Could a charmed person have that much freedom? He had definitely not asked enough questions when he had the chance; there was just so much he didn’t understand.

Minho’s text tone broke the silence and his trance, startling him back to the present. He hurriedly finished the tie and reached for his phone to see Jinki’s name lighting up the screen.

  * _Hey. You and the kid are coming over tonight for dinner. Don’t resist or I’ll drag you here myself. This is non-negotiable. See you tonight._



He tucked the phone in his pocket, shaking his head. He’d have to go; Jinki didn’t threaten idly even if he seemed softer than soft tofu.

\--


	7. Chapter 7

Minho let himself into Jinki’s penthouse, not waiting for his friend to greet him but simply wandering into the kitchen on his own. As he suspected, there was already an open bottle of wine on the island counter, and he took it upon himself to pour a glass.

“Help yourself…” commented Jinki, appearing from the direction of the large glass doors leading to the garden. Behind him trailed Kibum, looking far less nervous and more like he regularly spent time inside. He stopped next to the island, facing Minho, while Kibum settled into one of the tall bar stools.

“Thanks,” Minho replied, taking a hearty drink from his glass. He hadn’t taken to drinking just yet, preferring to work himself to death instead, but something about this day in particular put him in the mood for it.

Jinki shot him a mildly disapproving look, before glancing around as if looking for something he missed.

Kibum asked the question for him. “Where is Taemin?”

“I don’t know. He left.”

Hearing this, Jinki paused, mouth slightly open, but still, as though he didn’t know where to begin. After a moment, he disappeared into another room, only to return a minute later with two more bottles of wine. “Alright,” he said, setting the bottles out on the counter, “now we’re prepared. Time to explain yourself.”

Finishing the glass he had, and thanking Jinki as the man poured him another, Minho started from the beginning point when he’d arrived home that Tuesday and found the door wide open. Stating it like that made it sound even more unpleasant and pathetic, coming from his own mouth, the things that both he and the other fairy had said.

Jinki’s mouth was a hard line when Minho finished speaking. He tapped his fingers against the wine glass he’d gotten for himself, keeping silent until the pause became almost awkward. Kibum meanwhile looked lost in thought, eyes unfocused though he seemed to be looking at the small glass of water in his hands.

“So,” Jinki finally said, “one of you is an idiot. Just not sure which.”

Feeling slightly warm from the wine, Minho nodded. He’d been thinking about it all day, and he knew this now. “It’s me.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah, it is. Taemin definitely never used magic on you,” Kibum quietly inserted, refocusing on the present.

Minho sighed deeply, replying, “It took me too long to figure that out. I was too shocked at first and overreacted. How did you know, though?”

“He told me, when we first met. We talked for a while before you two came out. I know how fairies operate; you would’ve been seven kinds of compliant if you were charmed. You wouldn’t even have been there that night, since he didn’t want to come at first.”

Jinki frowned. “He didn’t? That’s rude.”

“Taemin is kind of rude,” Minho noted, “and I should have known from that. Makes sense of why he whined at me all the time.”

“You didn’t just do what he wanted.”

“Not immediately, anyway.”

“So wh-”

The doorbell rang at that moment, signaling that the pizza Jinki had previously ordered had arrived, which he and Minho agreed was good timing. The wine on empty stomachs was swiftly becoming effective. As they tore into a few slices, Minho eyed Kibum and his lack of interest in the food.

Through a mouthful, he asked, “Do you eat only sugary cereal too?”

“He doesn’t really...eat,” Jinki supplied, not looking up from his slice.

“Oh. Do you...photosynthesize?”

Kibum rolled his eyes. “No.”   

“Right, it’s just that he might die if that little ginkgo does, so I have to feed _that_ and keep it safe. Which is far more terrifying,” Jinki supplied again, looking a little stricken at the thought.

“He’s far more worried about this than I am,” Kibum clarified casually, although Minho noted the reassuring hand the nymph placed on Jinki’s back, “it’s not difficult. And I can move if need be.”

Jinki cast a glance at Kibum, giving the feeling this conversation had happened before.

“ _Anyway_ ,” he said, “what are you going to do? About Taemin?”

“What can I do? Go look for him? I don’t even know where he’s from.”

Kibum also admitted that Taemin hadn’t mentioned an exact location during their conversation, just general things about “home.” Silence reigned for a period considering this issue, with no obvious solution presenting itself, and all three separately wondering how they could collectively know so little about a person’s background.

Minho leaned heavily on the counter, still standing since they’d never moved from the kitchen after he arrived. His head felt heavy with the wine, but also with annoyance that he couldn’t think of a decent method to let the fairy know he’d messed up. To let him know he wanted to apologize. Was he supposed to wander through all the wooded areas within a few miles radius, shouting in case Taemin might hear him? What if he wasn’t even a forest fairy? For all Minho knew, his “home” could be any kind of location. Were there pond fairies? It was beyond frustrating.

The first to break out of their reverie, Jinki threw back the remainder of his glass of wine and set the glass down, leveling a determined look at Minho.

“Well, then why not come with me to Japan?”

“Come with _us_ ,” Kibum stressed, editing Jinki’s statement.

That one groaned. “No, not us. Can you stop fighting me on this already? I’m not risking traveling with a fragile plant! You already said it was a little dicey when you got moved here!”

“Well sorry if I want to go along when it’s me we’re trying to learn about! I can’t believe you won’t take _me_ , but you’re totally fine inviting him!” the nymph huffed, pushing his chair away and standing.  With a last glare at Jinki, he walked back toward the garden and disappeared outside.

Jinki defeatedly rested his head on his arms, crossed in front of him on the counter.

“Um,” Minho commented, helpfully.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I didn’t expect him to be so adamant about this when I told him my plan. I didn’t consider bringing him at all. But I probably shouldn’t have asked you like that.”

“Maybe not, no.”

Shifting to rest his chin on one palm, Jinki looked up at Minho. “Not sure if I’m too tipsy right now to be considering things, but really, why not come? Take some time to clear your head, since it doesn’t look like being around here is helping you much.”

Minho glanced out the kitchen window into the small part of the garden it viewed, seeing Kibum walk through the foliage with a melancholic expression. He wished he’d been as thoughtful as Jinki was, so diligently learning how to live with someone so unique.

“Let me think about it,” he replied.

\--

Taemin’s skin prickled uncomfortably as he walked through the hidden market where the fae community traded and sold their vibrant wares. He used to love going there; no better place existed to draw as much attention as he liked, being fawned over and treated just as princely as he was. He used to walk away with arms full of gifts and covered in flowers, and felt good for days after.

But not anymore. Attention he still got, but he hated all of it. After disappearing for so long and returning without an essential part of what made a fairy a fairy, the others looked at him differently when he passed. They smiled and waved, bowed a little, but always with a hint of pity behind their eyes, or even a modicum of distrust. He’d left them, and he might do it again. He wanted to leave again, if he was being totally honest. The pity irked him but he could also understand, losing a wing was essentially becoming a cripple, and on top of it he knew he looked just as exhausted as he felt, which was terribly, horribly exhausted. The physicians had given him lilac serum to drink at night, which did knock him out, but couldn’t quite replicate the restfulness and rejuvenation of true sleep. It kept him functional, but worn down.

 _Maybe I should just find Jongin…_ He thought, his mind hazy with weariness, and nodded to another old fae woman who looked about to cry just at his appearance. He offered a smile, and she immediately burst into tears and hurried away.

Taemin cringed, and quickened his steps toward the unassuming root structure which hid the entrance to the royal residence. Fairies didn’t have palaces as such, at least none of the ones Taemin knew of; most preferred to commune more intimately with their people, and have a beautifully kept space with some sort of audience hall. This area he passed through after the gate of roots, and cast a brief glance to where his father’s right hand viceroy was meeting with citizens. The fairy gave Taemin a nod, mild concern on his face just like everyone else wore, but the prince moved on without speaking to him. He just wanted to get back to his own room where he could hide in peace from any additional pitying glances or weeping grandmothers.

He climbed the intricately carved staircase that accessed their private rooms and strode lightly down the hall, grateful that no one seemed to be around at the time, before he reached the smaller, simpler stair that led to his. At the top, a small bit of glowing magic required a password, which he’d always considered an unnecessary security, but recently had come to appreciate more.

“Drip drop,” he whispered, and the light pulsed, followed by a quiet click that informed him the door would now be open. He slipped inside and closed it, leaning back against the sturdy, polished wood and sighing deeply.

“Busy day?”

Taemin jumped, turning toward his bed with surprise. Only two other people knew the password to enter, which meant-

“Oh...uh, hey Jongin.”

The tall fairy sat on Taemin’s bed, long legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankles while he fiddled with a little carved game, twisting the pieces to try and untangle them. He smiled pleasantly at the room’s owner, not quite the kind of bright smile he used to wear, but a smile nonetheless.

“I should’ve come said hello earlier,” he said, replacing the little game on the shelf above Taemin’s bed, “but, you know. Anyway, Jonghyun says you’re not sleeping.”

Taemin frowned. _Jonghyun...that punk._

“I don’t know why everyone’s so concerned, the physician gave me lilac. I’m sleeping. It’s fine.”

“Which is why you look so energetic and bright,” Jongin replied flatly, raising a brow at him.

He got an un-amused eye roll in response, then awkward silence as Taemin remained with his back to the door. The young prince felt somewhat cornered, having hoped to avoid dealing with this entirely.

Jongin sat up straight, lowering his feet to the floor and clasping his hands in his lap.

“Are you going to just stand in the door then?” He asked.

“Mm...thinking about it, yeah.”

“Taemin…”

“Don’t do that,” that one responded, even more tiredly, “don’t be all concerned. Everyone is concerned, and pitying, and awful. You especially don’t get to, not after what you said to me.”

The other fairy stood, taking a couple steps toward him. “You weren’t that nice either.”

“I didn’t call you spoiled, unbearable and immature, and imply no one wanted you to be heir.”

“No, you just said I must be stupid to like someone who I thought was those things, and that you didn’t need me anyway. That’s so much better.”

Taemin swallowed, gripping the latch on the door as Jongin got closer, a rare serious expression covering his uniquely wide, handsome features.

“So then why are you here.”

Jongin stopped, inches away.

“Because I missed you.”

Some of the pressure built up inside crumbled, and Taemin faltered, unable to keep his expression passive when the past couple weeks had been so hard. He should’ve known he couldn’t keep up an argument with Jongin for long.

Taemin reached one hand forward and grasped Jongin’s loose shirt, holding but not pulling. A thought flashed across his weary mind, but disappeared just as quick.  

Jongin brushed back a bit of Taemin’s hair, closer still. “I haven’t seen your hair black for a long time,” he mused, letting his hand slip down to the other’s chin. It made Taemin’s heart race, and his hands shake, although that might be the exhaustion too…

Using his free arm to grip around Taemin’s waist, Jongin removed the remaining distance and kissed him, gently but with familiar firmness. Taemin relaxed slightly in his hold, his mind going blank as Jongin’s lips followed their usual pattern, giving him room to breathe at the moments he subconsciously expected, applying pressure in the way Jongin knew he liked. It was...comfortable, easy...his tired brain could melt into the pleasure of it naturally.

Taemin tightened his grip on Jongin’s shirt, finally letting go of the latch and placing his other hand on his chest, breathing him in. Somewhere deep in the back of his mind he knew what Jongin’s intentions were, but it all felt blurry through the sleep deprivation, and he couldn’t remember why he hadn’t found him sooner…

Drawing them a step further into the room, Jongin shifted his lips onto Taemin’s neck, dropped his hands down to his hips. He gripped firmly, and suddenly Taemin’s memory lit up. Hands on his hips, heart racing...

He pushed Jongin back, regaining just enough space to breathe and shake his head.

“Um, no,” Taemin stated, trying to clear his thoughts.

Jongin frowned, face full of confusion as he worked to catch his breath. “Um, no?”

“No, I’m...there’s, um,” he struggled to find the words to explain Minho to Jongin. _I sort of fell for this human while I was away, and you and I…_

“I guess Jonghyun was right, you did go and fall for someone.”

_Dammit Jonghyun, I’m seriously gonna kill that guy._

“Well, yeah, sort of.”

Jongin laughed, albeit a little sadly. “I think it’s more than _sort of_ ; last time you ‘sort of’ liked someone was that girl who lived by the creek, and when you told me we were pretty preoccupied. If I recall correctly, we were in the middle of-”

“OKAY YES. I remember, I KNOW what we were doing, thanks,” Taemin cut him off, face growing instantly hot.

“I’m just saying,” Jongin replied with a grin, taking a seat on Taemin’s bed again. He sighed. “I really shouldn’t have let you run off that day. I don’t know why I did. I should’ve made you stay, told you how I felt and made you pick me officially. But I didn’t, and you went off and fell in love. It figures.”

Taemin felt like his head was going to burst. He wasn’t dumb, and knew he and Jongin had always been, well, _close_ , but this was somehow shocking information to him.

“Figures how?”

“That I’d somehow be with you all my life, except the time it really mattered.”

The door latch felt cool under Taemin’s hand as he backed up to it again, his flight instincts pressing him to get away. The room was suddenly too small, too close to Jongin and too full of emotion he couldn’t handle.

“You’re sure? Leaving me again is what you want?” Jongin’s quiet voice and sad eyes burned into him.

“I…” flipping the latch, he turned and fled. Taemin didn’t stop until he was decently out into the forest proper, where he was unlikely to run into any other fae folk. The sun had not entirely set, and most were back to their homes by that point, leaving the fairy-level of the forest quiet and calmed. With, of course, the exception of Taemin and his dramatic emotional crisis.

It wasn’t so much the shock of Jongin’s full confession that had him reeling. It was more the knowledge that despite it, he still wanted to leave more than anything. That his overwhelming feeling continued to be a deep, painful need to go back and beg Minho to understand him and let him stay. He’d been so tired recently that he almost couldn’t name the feelings he had, but Jongin forced them out into the forefront of his mind where they shouted at him and demanded action.

Sinking down onto a mossy rock, Taemin dropped his head back to stare up into the treetops, hints of stars glinting through the branches that waved restlessly in the wind high above. At his size it looked so far away; he blinked, realizing for the first time in a while how much he missed being able to fly up to that height and be a part of the night sky.

Some of the underbrush nearby rustled subtly, catching Taemin’s attention. He peered at the spot, trying to see through the swiftly fading light, until he spotted a lithe figure and bright eyes.

“You can come out,” he called gently.

The figure pushed the foliage aside and stepped into the little glen, standing at not quite normal human size, but certainly bigger than a fairy.

“I'm looking for a fairy called Taemin,” they stated.

He smiled a little, reassuringly. “You found him.”

“Good, then I don't have to shock another poor little fairy child. You're not shocked?”

“I've met a nymph before. I didn't know there were more nearby, though.”

“Of course. We simply share knowledge of our existence less readily than your kind seems to,” the nymph replied, gracefully taking a seat so as to be closer to Taemin’s size.

Taemin shrugged. “I guess so. But why were you looking for me? Do I know you?”

“I'm Irene, we've never met. But you have met Kibum, it seems. He's sent a message for you, we've been passing it along rather painstakingly.”

Taemin’s heart skipped a few of its fast beats. “What is it?”

Irene grinned at his eagerness. “He says to come see him on the rooftop in the garden, that it's important.”

“Is that all?” He'd half hoped for some mention of Minho, some indication of how he was doing…

“That's all. I assume you know what that place is,” the nymph stood again, looking longingly at the trees. Taemin got the sense that she wasn't the type who liked to leave home much, and appreciated the message all the more.

“Yep,” he replied, feeling the lightest he had in days, “and thank you. Really.”

Her mission completed, Irene nodded to him before gliding back into the darkening forest and disappearing.

Now all Taemin had to do was find a way to get up to that rooftop.

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> teasing TaeKai backstory :)))))))) hmm wonder what all THAT entailed...maybe a prequel when this is done?? no promises tho ;))) but if there are comments asking for it...definitely more likely to happen :DDD


	8. Chapter 8

Minho and Jinki trudged up the slope with increasing difficulty, their backpacks feeling like lead weights against the steep incline. Despite being on an island, the refreshing coastal breeze didn't seem to reach that far into the forest, leaving them hot and with a good ways left to go.

“You better not have those directions wrong, after all this,” Minho warned, breath a little ragged as he re-situated his bag once more.

Jinki smiled nervously. “Of course, I wrote down exactly what that man in the village said. We'll be there soon I'm sure.”

“He better be home or I'm gonna break your legs.”

“Please, we both know you wouldn't!”

Minho shot Jinki a sweaty glare. Jinki swallowed dryly.

“He'll be home!”

They didn't reach the spot until nearly two hours later, and Jinki blessed a number of different gods loudly by name when the small house came into sight through the trees. True to the locals’ words, the elderly man rarely left his home, and thus was already sitting on a mat outside as they approached. He looked deep in thought, but addressed them before they had even properly caught their breath, managing only to bow respectfully.  

They blinked, the words hitting their ears but meaning nothing. Jinki cringed in anticipation of Minho’s outburst, which shortly followed.

“We’re in _Japan_ , Jinki. He speaks _Japanese_!! How did you not think of that?? WE DON’T SPEAK JAPANESE, JINKI.”

“I-”

The old man cleared his throat loudly. “I also speak Korean. And a few other languages, actually.”

Jinki dropped to his knees in relief, clasping his hands in gratitude. “Oh, thank you!”

“You got lucky…” Minho muttered, easing his backpack off and lowering to sit on the loamy ground near the man, taking out a handkerchief to dab the sweat from his forehead.

The corner of the man’s mouth lifted a hint in amusement, and he eyed them calmly.

“Wait a moment, I’ll bring you some tea,” he said, and rose quickly before heading into the cabin for a few minutes.

The two young men waited gratefully, bodies relaxing somewhat from their strenuous ascent, before the man appeared again with refreshments. The tea he brought seemed to have cream in it, and Minho wondered exactly where the man was from. He looked as though he could be partly Asian, or of some mixed descent, but it wasn’t clear. The expert settled back on his mat, his expression expectant.

“Why are you looking for me?” He asked, carefully sipping from his own cup.

Jinki launched into his story without hesitation, starting from the moment he saw Kibum in his garden the first time, right up through his research on the man and his expertise.

The man hummed, nodding. “Well,” he started, “it would have been a little easier to help if the nymph and his tree where here for me to see, for one thing.”

Jinki winced, casting a glance at Minho.

“He’s never going to let that go.”

“I am begging you. Let’s not tell him.”

The old man raised an amused eyebrow. “I take it the nymph has quite a strong personality?”

“That’s for sure,” Jinki nodded, affirming, “is it unusual?”

“It’s not particularly common, but I’ve seen a spectrum of personalities in the creatures I’ve encountered. This forest is particularly active, which is why I moved here. Some can’t really speak and behave more like curious spirits, get frightened easily, et cetera. Some are nearly human in appearance and more than once I’ve been fooled by their presence.”

Minho pictured Kibum in his mind’s eye. He remembered how solid his presence was next to them, the clarity in his exotic eyes and the light, disapproving smirk he tended to wear. Really, it was only the very subtle signs that gave him away.

Leaning forward with interest, Jinki pressed the man with more questions. “So, the ones who seem nearly human, are they different? What do they need to live well? Can they...how much can they move about? I mean, how closely tied are they to their home? How much freedom do they have?”

The man’s face softened as he studied Jinki, the cup of tea sitting idle in his hands. He smiled.

“It’s been a long time since someone came to me asking such questions. Do you know? Many people try to come, but I send many away without answers. I know what those people want. They ask me what powers these creatures have. They ask if they can be made to serve in some way, or if they bring curses on a person. They even ask how a tree spirit can be killed. But I felt it when you two approached, that the answers you sought were not self-serving. It seems I was correct. I can see that your questions come from a place of genuine concern, of affection even.”

Jinki’s face, already red from the exertion of their climb, managed to flush even redder.

The old man continued. “So let me see. It sounds to me like he’s done well at explaining to you what care he needs. It’s true, it’s the element of nature that he’s bonded to on which you need to focus your care. You’re lucky that Kibum speaks and can tell you just how do it, or even care for it himself to some extent. It means he’s strong and healthy. It’s usually the weaker nymphs that struggle if their homes are at risk.”

“And does it need to go with us if he wants to move about? Is there like, a range he can go?”

“Yes, he’s certainly tied to it. But I’ve been experimenting over the years, and I’ve learned a few things. While he’ll begin to fade and grow weary the farther from it he goes, you can decrease the severity by taking a clipping of the plant with you. All plants need trimming anyway.”

A smile of pure delight widened Jinki’s lips, and Minho nearly laughed. His excitement was too much.

“I would advise, though,” the man added, “that you consider looking for a better home for him to bond to. A larger plant will extend the range, and from the description you gave, a ginkgo doesn’t befit Kibum. If I had to guess, I’d say he was guardian of a far more beautiful, grander piece of nature.”

Minho frowned. “Like what, a pine tree?”

“No, like a entire forest. Perhaps mostly birches.”

Jinki’s jaw dropped, and Minho coughed on the sip of tea he’d been about to take.

“Where am I supposed to get a forest of birches?! Or keep them if I did?! I live on a rooftop! I’d have to...should we move? How do I know if a forest is even open for him to take?!” Jinki rambled, shocked and floundering.

The man laughed outright, hands coming to rest on his stomach as his shoulders shook. After a moment he calmed himself, wiping a tear from his wrinkled cheek.

“Amazing. You’re so committed, someone might think you loved this particular forest spirit,” he grinned knowingly, challenging Jinki to correct him.

Shocked further, Jinki stuttered. “I don’t- wait, that isn’t...no, listen. I’m…” he stopped, taking a deep breath before looking at the dark earth in front of him. “What would that even matter? It’s not possible, right?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” the man replied, gesturing to Minho oddly enough. Jinki looked puzzled, and Minho startled.

“Me?”

“Yes, you. Or am I wrong that you’re currently living a similar fate? I can see it in your eyes. I think, though, it’s the other name I heard mentioned that lives in your heart. Taemin, was it? Not a nymph kind of name, I’d say a sprite if I had to guess. Or fairy.”

Jinki slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes so wide Minho would be afraid they’d fall right out of his head, if he wasn’t too surprised himself. But he was coming to terms with the fact that he couldn’t escape the truth of it, not even in another country.

He smiled softly. “That’s right, sir. He’s a fairy.”

The man nodded. “I thought so. I wish you luck, son, fairies can be challenging. They usually are.”

“I know.”

“But if you win one...in my experience, they stay with you forever.”

Minho dropped his head, heaviness swelling in his chest.

The old man paused a moment, letting the darkening forest air fill their silence with the gentle sounds of nature, the white noise of things growing and thriving on a microcosmic level that could hardly been seen.

Twisting his hands shyly, Jinki broke their reverie. “Sir,” he asked again, “it is useless, to care about a nymph?”

“It’s never useless to care about someone, son,” he replied, “nymphs included. And though I’m afraid it may give you more hope than is altogether fair, I will tell you something I heard of only once. It was in Norway, if I remember correctly. Some rumors that a nymph fell in love with a human girl, and broke the bond with the great tree he’d known for many, many years. Instead, he bonded to her.”

Jinki stared.

“But please be careful. This is only hearsay.”

Neither Jinki nor Minho spoke, both too laden with the weight of the information they’d received in that short conversation. As the last light faded, the old man invited them to stay for the night, asserting that going back down the mountain at that time would be too dangerous.They ate a small meal for which both young men were exceedingly grateful, and he showed them the extra room he kept for unexpected visitor such as themselves. Thin screens separated them from the forest outside, the shadows of trees an eerily appropriate form of decoration as they fell across the walls. Minho insisted Jinki take the small bed, while he spread out blankets on the worn wooden floor.

In the quiet, while the walls groaned and settled in the light breeze, Jinki whispered quietly.

“We’re both totally fucked, dude.”

“Yeah.”

Through a small hole in one screen, Minho caught sight of the old man walking quietly out among the trees, the branches of which seemed to wave respectfully to him. He stopped not far away, and in a few moments a willowy figure approached him, reaching out to take his hand.

_But it might not be so bad._

\--

Midnight black feathers struggling against the wind that whipped around the upper heights of the tall building, a determined crow made it’s way up and up until it reached the oddly lush garden that nestled into the building’s secluded rooftop. In the night air it was all but invisible, dark against dark in the starless sky obscured by clouds. The bird sought the center of the garden, not landing till it was safely protected from the wind and could drop to the packed earth with ease. From it’s back slipped a small figure clad in dark clothing, hair as raven black as the crow’s feathers and eyes shining with glittering magic.

“Thanks,” Taemin said, tenderly brushing a small hand over the corvid’s head and neck, “I know that kinda sucked. You did great.”

The crow blinked, clicking it’s beak in response.

“Sure, rest as long as you want. I have someone to find.”

As the bird flapped to a nearby birdbath, ornate among the twisting foliage, Taemin took a second to become human sized before pushing through the leaves to where he recalled Kibum’s little tree sat. He was surprised to find the ginkgo missing, a bare spot the only indication it had been there at all. Worry began to fill him, and he glanced about nervously.

A voice soon eased his concern.

“Come inside,” Kibum called, stepping onto the path behind Taemin, “I’ve moved in there for now. The wind was worrisome, and Jinki’s so nervous...it’s just while he’s gone. Come on.”

Taemin followed, stepping inside the familiarly extravagant penthouse and to the kitchen. The ginkgo sat on the counter, looking very much like any other tree that didn’t house an excessively beautiful nymph. Kibum climbed into a high-backed barstool, and the fairy followed suit.

“Why in here, not the couch?”

Kibum shrugged. “I like this room best. It’s where Jinki is most.”

“Oh.”

Kibum stared at him for a bit as if puzzled, his mesmerizing eyes studying Taemin and his wind-whipped hair, sleep-deprived face.

“Taemin...you look terrible.”

The fairy slumped onto the counter, rolling his forehead against the cool granite and moaning pathetically.

“I get it, I know, okay? _I know._ I look like I’m dying, everyone can stop telling me now. That is the opposite of calling me cute, or handsome, not that anyone ever says _that_.”

Awkwardly patting his back, Kibum tried to comfort the dramatic creature next to him as best he could. Being comforting wasn’t really a thing nymphs did a lot, but he tried.

“Sorry, but I did send you a message for a reason. I had no idea if it would actually get to you, so I’m glad you made it here. How did...how did you make it here? Aren’t you a wing short?” Kibum ran an exploratory hand down Taemin’s back, noting the lack of appendage with his fingertips.

Taemin squirmed under the touch. “Yeah, again, thanks for pointing that out. I borrowed a crow from my father’s keep. Fairies can have disabilities too, you know.”

“Sorry, sorry. Jinki says I can be a little insensitive at times. Humans have such complex emotions, and so do fairies, it would seem. I’m trying to get used to it.”

A nonplussed hmph was the response Kibum received, but he didn’t mind it.

“You should come back, Taemin.”

The fairy turned his head on the granite to rest the other cheek against the smooth surface and direct an interested look at the nymph. “Like, to visit you again? If you want, I guess you’re pretty interesting.”

“No,” Kibum clarified, rolling his eyes, “you should come back to this. Back to the city, and the humans’ world-”

“Kibum-”

“Back to Minho.”

Taemin felt a chill run through his veins at the suggestion, feeling already a bit too close to it all. The only other memories he had of this location were ones interwoven with the man; sitting closely beside him, holding onto his arm, listening carefully to that deep voice that seemed to start low in his chest and rise up till it bubbled out over his smile. Taemin gazed at the garden doors, feeling the warm pricks in his skin again as he remembered Minho finding him there with Kibum, looking at him tenderly and validating him with such affection.

Then he thought of the betrayed look on his face only days later.

“I can’t. He sent me away,” Taemin muttered.

Kibum shook his head. “He regrets it.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I heard him say it. I saw it in his face when he came here. If you think you look bad right now, maybe it’ll encourage you to know that if anything, he looked worse.”

Taemin wanted that to encourage him, but mostly it made him even sadder. “Not really.”

“Taemin listen,” Kibum urged, his cool, thin fingers reaching out to take hold of Taemin’s small ones, “Minho and Jinki don’t know I called you here. Neither of them had any idea how to even begin to find you, or I’m sure they would’ve tried it right away. But that’s not the point. I sent that message because I felt I owed this to you.”

“Owed what?”

A sweet smile slipped onto Kibum’s lips, making him look impossibly prettier. “I like things so much better now than I did hiding all the time, trying not to be caught in the garden. I like them better than I did in my old home, before this little tree, when I walked in the forest freely, but I was alone. Nymphs don’t really form communities; we wake into existence alone and spend most of our lives as extensions of nature. But it’s lonely, when you come to be aware of other kinds of lives. I realized it when I saw how Minho looked at you when we first met. And if it weren’t for you asking me to give Jinki a chance, I would’ve continued to hide forever. I have all of this only thanks to you, Taemin. So I owe you quite a lot.”

As Kibum talked, seeming to grow brighter with every word, Taemin sat up from the counter and gripped the nymph’s hands in return, getting a little emotional himself. He felt, oddly, proud.

“I didn’t feel right seeing Minho that way, not when it was your doing that brought this change  about for me. I thought I could maybe get to you, so I knew I had to do it. Because you both need another chance and,” Kibum grinned, “if it goes bad, we’ll take you far away. Just like you promised me.”  

Taemin sniffled a little, surprised to find himself crying. Of all the people who’d spoken about it all to him since everything fell apart, Kibum was the last person he would’ve guessed to find caring this much or trying to help. He appreciated the thoughtfulness so much he thought his heart might burst.

Kibum yelped in surprise when Taemin jerked him forward into a hug, squeezing the slim nymph with all his wiry fairy strength.

“Thank you Kibum, thank you so much,” he breathed, voice heavy with earnestness.

“Ok yes, you’re welcome, now please release me.”

With a giant smile Taemin did so, beaming at Kibum and already hopping out of his seat.

“I’ve gotta go. I need to go to the apartment right now.”

He was halfway to the door when Kibum grabbed his arm, halting his brisk steps.

“He’s not there! He’s in Japan.”

“He’s...why??”

Rose hues of feathery blush crept into Kibum’s face and he looked as though he was a mix of pleased and annoyed all at once. “They went because of me,” he clarified, “Minho and Jinki. To find out more about my kind from an expert there. I wanted to go too.”

Taemin raised a brow. “Why didn’t you?”

“Jinki was too scared something would happen to the tree. I was mad but...I thought about it lot since he’s been gone. Even the fact that he went, well...I don’t know why, but he just cares. He cares so much.”

“...wow, congratulations. That’s disgustingly cute.”

Kibum smacked the arm he was holding with his free hand, then let go. “Shut up, you really are the most absurd fairy I’ve met. _Anyway_ , they won’t be back until the day after tomorrow.”

Taemin nodded slowly, weighing his options. At this moment he had all the energy and emotion built up to propel him towards Minho’s apartment at lightspeed, whether he was there or not. If he went back to the forest, he might lose it, might have the worry and doubt creep back in while he waited. Or worse, have to deal with Jonghyun or Jongin again.

“It doesn’t matter,” he decided, “I’ll just go wait for him. Even if he does decide to throw me out again, I have to go wait and make sure.”

“Don’t you think it’s probably locked?”

Smirking, Taemin snapped his fingers, letting fly a sparkling pop of magic that crackled in the air.

“Isn’t it lucky I have magic, then?”

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...now that they've almost spent more chapters apart than together...is this the story you were expecting? tiny *disabled* fairy Taem? dorky chaebol Jinki? kinda boring, workaholic softy Minho? sassy, emotionally awkward Kibum???? :)))))))


	9. Chapter 9

Taemin aimed for the window instead of the front door of Minho’s apartment, instructing his crow-steed to land delicately on the sill. The wind there was much more threatening as the sill did not leave much footing, and after a moment of the crow nervously clinging to the edge Taemin sent him off.

Focusing on the inner latch, Taemin twisted his hands in a motion that mimicked unlocking it, and watched the subtle sparks of magic pop as the piece of metal moved. He smiled when it clicked, and reached his tiny fingers under the lip of the window pane.

It was much heavier than he had hoped.

Throwing his shoulder into it and using all the strength his legs could offer, Taemin struggled for quite a while to budge the window up, making only centimeters of progress with each attempt, until finally there was enough space that he could flatten himself on the sill and wiggle under it. For a millisecond he panicked, the space tight, and thinking he heard the window creaking and threatening to shut. But he scrambled hastily and won his way inside, pausing to lean against the window frame and catch his breath.

Everything looked so much the same. The tiny neon light of the clock on the microwave blinked cross the open space into the kitchen, and Taemin’s sharp ears tuned to the ever-present hum of the refrigerator, perking again when the temperature control noted the change in air temp and kicked in. In the moonlight from the window the whole space glowed calmly, each part of it reassuringly familiar to the fairy’s eyes.

He shifted to change size, slipping off the sill in time so that his feet caught him before he hit the floor. His feet made no sound as he passed through the room, the carefully tanned, black leather of his soft-soled fairy boots gliding across the floor easily. Taemin felt compelled to touch everything; the curve of the couch’s back, the counter-top that opened from the kitchen into the living room, even the top of the TV where a sheen of dust collected.

Then, before he knew his feet were even leading him there, Taemin found himself standing before the bedroom door, the handle easing free under his hand and allowing him entrance inside.

Taemin breathed deeply.

He’d imagined in his absence that Minho would scrape away all the traces of before. He’d pictured the stupid cat bed torn from the window, as he’d never actually removed it himself, and the little knick-knacks Taemin collected swept off the nightstand and thrown away, along with his clothes. He’d even imagined Minho rearranging the room, pushing the bed to the other side so that nothing, no part of their time, remained in the traces of the energy there.

But Taemin was wrong. Each item seemed to be exactly where he left it, down to the slippers at the end of the bed which were too small to be Minho’s.

All his adrenaline suddenly cracked, disappearing in a flood as Taemin rushed to throw himself into that bed. He buried himself under the blankets, nestling deep until he was surrounded by it’s overwhelming comfort and warmth. Even more overwhelming was the scent that practically consumed him, a mixture of Minho’s shower products and cologne, vague aromas that Taemin couldn’t name but could identify anywhere as uniquely, perfectly his human’s.

Taemin did not know what state Minho would be in when he returned, what reaction he would have to him being there. He hoped, he begged the universe that it would be a good one like Kibum seemed to think. But in the meantime, until he had to find out, he intended to absorb as much of this place as he could possibly handle, starting with that bed. He’d only been lying there mere seconds and his entire body had completely relaxed, eyelids impossibly heavy and breath slowing with every second he remained.  

Taemin couldn’t say what was to come. But for the first time in a long time, he could sleep. So he did.

\--

Minho stared at his own front door, hand hovering in the air with his key outstretched toward the lock, not quite engaging it.

He was so tired. He wanted to lie down, force his body to sleep and fight the jetlag, the ache in his muscles from the extensive hiking necessitated by his and Jinki’s pilgrimage. That was all he wanted, but he hesitated to seek it in his own home. His experience over the past weeks only told him that going inside would continue his restlessness, taking him back to the mindset he’d been in before going to Japan.

It wasn’t that the trip had really changed much for him; it confirmed yet again where his heart lay, but the old man couldn’t tell him any way to find Taemin that he hadn’t considered himself. He was happy for the answers Jinki had received, of course. He wanted his friend, his friends, to be happy. But again, it really hadn’t changed much for him.

Minho briefly considered turning back around and getting a hotel room or something, trying that out.

But sense won out, demanding that it was ridiculous to avoid a perfectly good option for rest when it was free and available right in front of him. So he unlocked the door and went inside, shutting it behind him before he could reason with himself any more.

Everything was the same, as he expected, except for the one small thing that wasn’t.

-

Vaguely, through sleep addled ears, Taemin heard the open and close of a door not far away. It sounded the way Minho’s front door always had whenever he’d been napping and the man returned home from work, entering the home quietly in his simple way. What a nice memory that was.

Then Taemin’s mind centered with a jolt, and he tensed underneath the blankets and pillows he was surrounded by. He remembered where he was, and he knew the only person who could have made that sound. His heart thudded in his chest at an impossible speed, but he didn’t dare move.

Where would he go? Step out into the room and shout surprise? He hadn’t considered what he’d do when Minho returned, he hadn’t planned that far ahead.

So he just waited. Eventually, Minho would find him.

\--

At first, he couldn’t quite place what felt wrong. Nothing seemed to have been moved, and the lock had been intact. He hadn’t been robbed, as far as he could tell, and nothing showed signs of being broken or damaged. So what _was_ it?

Walking into the room proper, Minho dropped his bags on the couch, turning in a circle with a frown. There had to be…

A light, cool breeze ghosted across his skin, the same he knew to be blowing outside in the early morning air he’d walked through after leaving the airport and parting from Jinki. His gaze shot to the window, and the mere inch or so crack of space open at the bottom.

Minho was certain he hadn’t left it like that; he rarely opened the window, let alone left it as such when he wasn’t there. Stepping over to it, he pushed the pane down and shut, sliding the lock into place, but not without noting an odd collection of scratches on the outside sill. Concerned, he searched the room again for any signs of an animal, nervous that some creature had clawed it’s way inside. He still found nothing.

His mind was too tired for this game. With no apparent signs that he should actually worry, he couldn’t afford the mental energy to keep up a hunt, even if he hated such small mysteries. So he grabbed his bags from the couch and steered towards his room, stumbling a little in surprise as the door swung open with just a light touch and no release of the latch at all.

Minho stepped into the room and paused, staring blankly at the bed that should, by all accounts, be empty. Yet there lay a figure, or so he imagined, dozing calmly on their stomach with face turned away, a halo of blonde hair fanning out over the pillows. This vision was one Minho knew; the golden, lightly shimmering skin of the figure’s bare back was skin he’d touched before, marked on one shoulder blade with a shiny scar and on the other with translucent tracings like the outline of a wing. But it was a figure that couldn’t _really_ be there, though Minho had envisioned it many times.

The figure inhaled deeply, shifting in the slightest, and settled again.

Minho’s breath caught, his heart leaping into his throat. Bags forgotten, he practically flew to the bed and onto it, pausing to hover over the body wrapped in the covers, his knees on either side of the slim legs. He drank in the markings on the soft skin, reaching a trembling hand to trace the shoulder, the scar. To feel how real it was.

A shiver cascaded over the skin under Minho’s fingers, leaving gooseflesh in it’s wake.

“Stop that,” whispered the drowsy voice, half muffled, “I’m sleeping.”

Minho wanted to laugh. Instead, he gently pulled at the figure until he lay on his back, finally facing and blinking up at him with big, sleepy eyes and a sweet smile.

“You’re here.”

Taemin rolled his eyes, ignoring the pounding of his heart at the way Minho looked at him. “Duh. I know that.”

“You’re _here._ ”

As Minho repeated the statement, Taemin’s doubts resurfaced, his smile faltering slightly as he struggled to read the human’s expression. Was that an accusation, because he shouldn’t be there? He could see what Kibum had meant, about Minho looking worse. The bags under his eyes were puffy and red, making him appear almost sick, and his complexion seemed unhealthily pallid compared to his normally bright, glowing look. He panicked slightly.

“Okay, if you still hate me, just tell me now, ‘cause if you do then I ne-”

Minho didn’t allow Taemin to finish, but dropped his hands by either side of his head and lowered his face to the fairy’s, pressing his lips to the other’s mouth with fervor. He’d wanted to do it for _so long_ , he couldn’t wait one more second to assure Taemin with words; he needed him to know immediately how much he wanted him there right then, in his arms, in his home, in his life.

Taemin’s eyes fluttered shut, doubts dissolving like mist under the heat of Minho’s kiss. He loved the feeling of the human’s mouth on his, warm and pliant and eager to taste everything. His heart worked overtime trying to keep up with his fewer breaths, but he wanted it to continue.

Reaching up from the blankets to twine his arms around Minho’s neck, Taemin pulled him down closer, flush against him as their kiss lengthened. He sighed into Minho’s mouth, the minute opening allowing the other to explore deeper, pulling at Taemin’s lower lip with his teeth before releasing it and tasting inside the fairy’s parted mouth. It was far better than any other time Taemin had been kissed; better than the one time Jonghyun had, surprising him, and better even than all his long makeout sessions with Jongin. Those were nice, but Minho was fire and flame burning into him.

Minho shifted slightly on top of him, gripping long fingers into Taemin’s hair and eliciting a breathy whine from him. Smaller fingers clawed the back of Minho’s collar, searching for something to hold onto. When Minho pulled away just enough to breathe, Taemin chased after him, pushing and twisting eagerly to invert their positions and straddle the taller’s lean waist, to cradle the beautiful face in his hands and soak in the smile. He quickly wanted more, however, and dove down to latch his lips onto the golden skin at Minho’s throat, reveling in the ability to feel him swallow and gasp, feel the tiny vibrations of his involuntary moans. Minho spread his hands over the small of Taemin’s back, sliding down and back until they grasped the tight muscles of his thighs and could pull him closer.

Lips on a particularly sensitive spot on his neck made Minho gasp, and he squeezed his eyes shut to focus.

“Taeminnie,” he breathed, struggling.

Barely a pause. “Yes?”

“I’m so sorry.”

A longer pause, then, and Taemin met Minho’s dilated gaze. He bit his swollen lip, caressed Minho’s cheek fondly. “Me too.”

“Never leave again, promise me.”

“I promise,” he replied, punctuating it with another, more languid kiss. This one he drew out slowly, his body curling into the one underneath him as he held to the unhurried pace.

Minho’s responses calmed as well; pressed pleasantly into the plush comfort of his bed by Taemin’s light but solid weight, he could feel the relaxation crawl through his body as though he was sinking slowly into a warm pool, easing the aches of his trip and the weariness from his limbs. Taemin’s balmy kisses, trailing from his mouth to his cheek, his jaw, chin and back to his mouth, only served to soothe him more, the soft sounds like a lullaby.

Taemin felt Minho’s grip loosen on his thighs, the man’s hands starting to slip. He pulled back momentarily, staring in amusement at Minho’s closed eyes, his long lashes resting against the slightly puffy bags below.

“No way,” he giggled, “are you falling asleep on me right now?”

Stirring a little, Minho blinked and managed a faint smile. “Technically I’m falling asleep _under_ you,” he hummed.

He preempted the pinch Taemin aimed at his side in response to the bad joke, catching the small hand and pulling his arm straight. The tug forced Taemin to stretch the arm past Minho’s head, his chest once again aligning flush to Minho’s as the man nuzzled into his neck, breathing into his bare skin very ticklishly.

“No fair,” Taemin complained half-heartedly, wriggling but unable to move again as Minho wrapped his other arm tightly around his small waist, “I was having fun kissing you.”

“More time for that later,” breathed Minho, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, “after we sleep. You make a good blanket.”

Taemin complied, satisfying himself with pressing his lips butterfly-light to the other’s neck, and  resting his cheek on his shoulder, watching the movement of his eyes below closed eyelids as he drifted off. He’d slept for over a day, hours and hours before Minho arrived home, so he couldn’t begrudge the man his rest despite wanting nothing more than every bit of his attention. But he had time, he figured, since he didn’t intend to leave ever again. Just as promised.

\--


	10. Chapter 10

~Epilogue~

Despite the snow covering the trees outside the window, the temperature inside the guest bedroom of the log home was anything but cold. If it had been a smaller space, perhaps the window would have fogged over, but the house was built for comfort and luxury, and the guest room was no different.

Two figures clung to one another on the wide bed, the smaller of the two wearing only briefs and trying with insistent fingers to reduce the other, taller person to his same state of undress.

“Why are you always wearing so many clothes??” Taemin grumbled, pausing to fiddle with the button on Minho’s jeans. He struggled despite his determination, his position sitting low on the other’s hips somehow making things more difficult.

Minho laughed, though his pulse raced at the view. “Why are you always trying to get me out of them?”

Taemin shot him a glare, which dissolved as Minho bent upward and caught his lips in a searing kiss.

In moments their movements became just as desperate as before, till Taemin was pulling at Minho’s shirt with agitation, demanding it be removed. As the fairy sat back again to allow room, Minho reached to take it off, but hesitated, earning an impatient noise from Taemin who was practically vibrating with agitation and need.  

“What? Come on, hurry up,” he egged, rolling his hips slightly as further encouragement.

Minho bit his lip, nearly moaning, but waited still. “Can we…can we really keep doing this? I mean, since you’re a fairy, and I’m not…”

“What do you mean, can we? Of course, stupid human. We _already are_.”

At that moment Jinki’s terrible impersonation of Taemin popped into Minho’s mind, and he burst out laughing, shaking almost uncontrollably with amusement. It was not a sentiment Taemin shared.

As usual, he pinched Minho, sharply on the side, making him wince. “Stop laughing and keep stripping, dummy.” The heat in his gaze easily convinced, and seconds later Minho’s shirt and all other pieces of clothing were cast aside.

“I love you, you know,” Minho added in the brief remaining slow moments, shifting to hover over the angelic male laying before him.

The smile that Taemin responded with spread from ear to ear, wide and white and wonderful.

“I love you, too,” he whispered.

A couple fiery rounds and a blissed out nap later, the couple emerged from the guest room relaxed, happy, and freshly showered. Yet somehow, that didn’t stop them from appearing rather disheveled. Minho had the sense to throw on some sweatpants and a v-neck, but Taemin sufficed with one of his partner’s overly large sweaters, the hem of his shorts barely visible as he nearly drowned in it. Minho’s large hand wrapped reassuringly around Taemin’s dainty one as they made their way into the grand, high-ceilinged great room, where a cozy fire crackled in the fireplace and the scent of something delicious filled the air.

Seated on the couch, Jinki shot a flat look their direction, a book poised in his hands.

“You know, I invited you guys out here to visit and have some quality friendship time, not just to loudly fuck in my guest room all day.”

He winced a second later as Kibum smacked the back of his head, walking past the back of the couch with a watering can. “Be nice,” he scolded, stopping near the window where a healthy little ginkgo tree sat, a cute juxtaposition to the stately white birches waving gracefully in the wind outside. Kibum gently watered the tree and examined its branches.

Minho dropped into a large leather chair, pulling Taemin into his lap and wrapping his arms around him as the fairy cuddled into his chest.

“I’m using my vacation hours to be here,” he retorted jovially, “I’m going to do what, and whom, I please.”

Taemin pointed at himself and tossed a wink towards Jinki, as if to say, _He means me._

The answer made Jinki grumble, but Kibum smiled as he settled onto the couch beside the grouchy man, setting the watering can on the coffee table and lacing his fingers into his hand.

“We’re glad you’re here,” he reassured, “stay as long as you like. I don’t know why Jinki insisted on such a large house when it’s just us two, but there’s plenty of space.”

“My family already owned this, I told you,” argued Jinki weakly, his crabbiness fading as Kibum gently stroked his hand.

“I know, dear.”

Comfortable in Minho’s lap, Taemin grinned at the two, secretly beyond pleased at the way everything had turned out. Sure, they saw Kibum and Jinki far less often since their move out into the mountains, but the nymph was the most free he’d ever been, and Taemin knew what that was worth.

He felt it daily in the apartment with Minho. More than any other time in his life, he felt like his truest self, unburdened by a kingdom he couldn’t properly lead. Leaving it behind hadn’t been easy; when he told Jonghyun, stopping the fairy’s frantic search a second time, he’d had to sit in the park where they met for an hour while Jonghyun bawled into his shirt, unsettling the children trying to play there. Some guilt occasionally plagued him, leaving Jonghyun to tell his parents and the others, to tell Jongin, but it wasn’t like this never happened before. There were plenty of histories in the fairy world that told of fairies leaving, joining the human world to be with one. It wasn’t usually the _prince_ , but he could no more help that than he could help having fallen in love.

Taemin lifted his head from Minho’s shoulder, leaning up to whisper a few words to him.

“Okay, me too,” Minho replied, giving the fairy’s ankle an affectionate squeeze. He glanced up and caught the others questioning looks.

“He’s hungry,” he clarified.

Jinki sighed. “No one is surprised.”

Kibum smiled, jumping up to head into the kitchen. He’d begun experimenting at cooking, something the nymph had never before had cause to do. It amused Jinki, but also terrified him as the one who had to try everything. Luckily, the failures were less common than the successes.

At the sound of pots clanging, Jinki rose and followed Kibum, mild concern on his face.

That left just the two in the big leather chair, perfectly content to stay that way forever. Hands entwined, Minho lifted the other’s delicate hand to his lips and ghosted a kiss over the back, repeating the action on each of the little knuckles, almost nibbling them.

“Don’t eat me,” Taemin giggled, eyes bright.

“So tempting,” Minho teased, but lowered his hand just the same. “Shall we see what Kibum’s cooking up in the kitchen then, instead?”

“Sure, if you want. I go where you go, you know that.”

The warmth that lived constantly now in Minho’s chest glowed happily, spilling out in the smile he returned to Taemin. He pushed lightly to help him stand, and followed the fairy’s bouncing steps as they lead into the other room.

It was funny, he thought, that after everything Taemin’s first claim had been true in the end.

Save a fairy’s life, and that fairy just might stick to you forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! That's the end. If you find yourself irked by things unresolved(or not resolved very *well*), just know I'm probably aware of them. Mostly they are there because, while this is in no way a realistic plot, people are like that - they do things messily and sometimes stuff doesn't resolve.  
> ALSO....I left some room if I ever want to add to this. ;)))


End file.
